“I wish my soul contract wasn’t ruined,” I tell him as I blink away another storm of tears. “I should write you a new one. I don’t know about my real soul, but you’re always going to win my figurative soul. Maybe the real one too, but that sounds intimidating, and I think we’ve both had enough intimidating otherworldliness for one day.”
“Well, we did have to deal with my granny this morning, so I’m pretty sure that’s absolutely correct.”
“The thing is, I think I love you, Taylen Alisdair Cromwell. A man of normal amounts of names, even if they’re different kinds of names. I think I might love you as more than a friend. It’s there, and it’s starting. I could shut it off and never talk about it again, or you could kiss me, and we could go from there, but either way, I’m not ditching. You’re stuck with me.”
“We blood brothered on that brooch. And I still have a legit, signed soul contract.”
“Technically, it’s still in the box downstairs…”
‘I’m trying to be romantic here,” Taylen snorts. “I think.”
My feet move on impulse because they’re being driven by some other force, and no, I don’t think I’m talking about curses, soul contracts, or crazy grannies. I’m talking about the deep, squishy, previously unexplored part of myself. Tay steps forward, and I throw my arms around his neck as he wraps his hands around my waist. His head dips, and he lets me rain kisses over his cheek, jaw, chin, and then finally, his lips, which I never knew were good for anything other than cracking jokes, being a smartass, and making people laugh. Okay, maybe for a few other things too, like communicating and being a not-so-smartass at least part of the day. I just never knew they were good for this.
Taylen doesn’t wait for me to find them. Instead, he grasps my face gently and brings his mouth to mine. Our lips crash together. He kisses me, and I kiss him. The kiss is fiery, maybe a little bit cursed, and perhaps somewhat otherworldly, but it’s also totally wonderful. I think it’s the best kiss I’ve ever had. Wait, no, I know it’s the best kiss I’ve ever had because it’s the only one that’s ever felt like it’s a perfect match. Like it’s destiny. It might be a load of mushy BS, but right now, I’m feeling and believing it. It’s real to me. Judging from the way he’s kissing me, hauling me up against him, and gripping me fiercely like he never wants to let go, I’d say Tay might believe it too. He’s definitely feeling it regardless.
This is the first time in my life that I’ve ever felt truly at peace with myself. Like maybe this was always supposed to happen, but we were both just waiting for the shove in the right direction. We were waiting for the next step, for the leap.
I want to laugh at myself right now, and Taylen would join in. If we were anyone else, we’d crack jokes about ourselves. We’d laugh our asses off and say how ridiculous and sappy those people are being. And then we’d go on with our day, blissfully and utterly ignorant of the incredibly perfect bliss that’s just waiting for us out there.
I’m glad we’re not laughing right now. And that we now know what we were missing out on.
CHAPTER 12
Taylen
That kiss. Oh my god, that kiss is all it takes, and I realize we’re meant to do this, this next step. And maybe some steps after. Of course, the steps after too. I would never be in it just to see Elodie naked. I mean, I want to see her naked, but I want so much more than that. Always have—okay, minus the naked—and always will—probably plus the naked.
She was kissing me furiously, but now her hands are locked around my neck, a hazy look in her heavy eyes. She’s waiting for me, waiting to see if I can do this. I groan just because it feels good to groan and because I need to. Because when one has balls the size of basketballs, one needs to groan.
“Can I undress you again?” I murmur.
“I might tear my clothes off myself if you don’t.”
“That’s hot. Can I watch?”
“Now. Yes. Always.”
I kiss her again, backing Elodie up down the hall. She takes over the kiss, scraping her teeth over my bottom lip. I lift her up, and she wraps her long legs around my hips as we make it down the hall in record time. I push open the bedroom door, and it bangs hard against the wall, though I barely even notice.
“I’ve never seen your boobs before today. They’re so perfect. Can I be friends with them?”
I set Elodie down so I can start with her sweater, peeling the fuzzy thing away for the second time and unwrapping her like she’s a magical present wrapped up just for me. It’s still just as magical as the first time. Like peeking before Christmas at the gifts that my parents wrapped and hid and pretending it didn’t actually ruin the surprise.