Page 52 of Off-Limits Bad Boy
“We can figure it out together,” I say, wanting him to know he’s not in this alone.
The room goes quiet, so quiet I can hear the steady rush of blood in my ears and hear the thumping of my heart trying to break free. I reach for him.
He moves closer and sits beside me on the couch. Our fingers lace together, and he brings my hand to his lips, the impulsive, sweet gesture catching me off guard.
His thumb rubs small circles on my wrist, the simple touch saying more than words. I want to forget the gravity of the moment, so I decide to shift the direction of our conversation away from Alex and heavy topics. Instead, I want to discuss the little things that matter.
“Is your favorite movie still that action-packed storm chaser flick?” I ask, the corners of my lips curving up.
A low chuckle escapes him. “I can’t believe you remember that.”
“You can’t believe I remember that? You made us watch that movie a thousand times,” I say with a dramatic roll of my eyes.
He flashes a rebellious smirk that gets my pulse racing again. “And is yours still the big boat iceberg love story?” He turns the question on me, his dark eyes glittering with mischief.
I nod, feeling the shared history between us as we revisit simpler times. “What's your favorite song?” I ask, curious, needing to know more about him.
“Here, let me show you.” He pulls out his phone, scrolls, and music fills the space between us.
Three notes in and I name the song. His appreciative glance has me shrugging my shoulders. “I love this song.” My confession brings a smile to his lips. It's like finding a piece of myself in his music taste.
“Really?” He sounds surprised and looks pleased.
“Really,” I say with a nod of my head. I stand up and offer him my hands. He glances up at me, obviously unsure what I’m doing. But he takes my hands and stands with me, leaving his phone on the arm of my couch, still playing the song.
I lean into him. “Dance with me.”
He hesitates, a frown tugging at his brow, as if dancing is akin to stepping into a minefield. But I'm already swaying.
He relents and suddenly we're moving together, bodies finding a rhythm that's been waiting for us all along. In this dance, there's no Alex, no secrets, just him and me and the heartbeat of this song we both love.
He feels like home, all warmth and strength, and I lean into him. Putting my head against his chest, I listen to the deep, steady beat of his heart. It beats in time with mine, and I think, maybe this is what falling for someone feels like.
Nothing has ever felt more right than this moment, with him, lost in the music and in each other’s arms.
The last chord of the song echoes in the room, leaving an almost tangible silence. His breath is warm against my skin, and I find I don’t want to pull away from him and I don’t want this moment to end.
“I don't want to hide,” Kade says, his confession a brush of air that stirs a few hairs and tickles my ear.
“Neither do I,” I whisper back, my voice steady, though my insides quiver like jello. “I really like you, but Alex...” The thought of my brother not approving tightens something in my chest and makes it hard to breathe.
But it’s not just Alex. “And Ryan will lose his mind when he finds out.” I don’t care what Ryan thinks or how he feels, but I don’t want this to be a match to the powder keg that is that unhinged man.
“Ryan won’t be a problem,” Kade says, his gritty voice leaving no room for doubting his words. “But we both know you're no damsel in distress, Emma.”
I nod. There have been plenty of times I’ve stood up for myself. “But it's nice knowing you've got my back.”
“Always,” he says and my heart flip-flops in my chest.
We stand there for a moment longer, wrapped up in each other.
“Remember those endless board game nights?” I break away just enough to look into his eyes, feeling mischievous.
“How could I forget? I still think you cheat at monopoly.” He laughs, shaking his head with feigned disapproval.
“Me? Never.” I feign shock, gasping and pressing a hand to my heart. “I'm just lucky is all.”
With a playful roll of his eyes, he watches as I dash to the closet and emerge with a box of Cards Against Humanity. This should lighten the mood.