Claire waits for me to finish. “That’s incredible.”
I wiggle the toe of my shoe into the ground. “I’ve never shown this to anyone else.” There was some part of me that needed her to know this. That this thing I hold near to my heart hadn’t been shared with another person, other than her.
It might not be a big deal to her, but it is to me.
She comes closer and takes my hand. “Thank you.”
In another world, this would be the perfect time to tug her to me, run my fingers through her hair, gripping the base of her head to tilt it upward, while my other hand rests on the small of her waist. I'd lean in, taking my time while my nose grazed hers. My lips would gently find their home—where they belong. I'd kiss her like it was the only thing keeping me alive. The earth would stop rotating and it would only be me and her, and nothing would ever be more seamless than that moment together.
But that would be unfair to her, given all the things I’ve yet to tell her. Without all the information, it wouldn’t be right to push that boundary and not first allow her the choice to walk away. I’ve clung to this hope that maybe she won’t react negatively to the mess I’m in, but that’s a desperately bleak likelihood. Any person in their right mind would run the other way if they knew the truth.
“I can see it on your face.” She breaks through my negative thoughts. “Spit it out.”
I take a deep breath, doing my best to prepare myself for the fact thateverythingis about to be different. The way she looks at me, the way she treats me. What if she becomes afraid of me? What if she runs and hides and avoids me for the rest of her life? What if I somehow actually convince her that I’m the bad guy?
All of a sudden, the fear of how she’ll react consumes me.
“I don’t want this to change.” I run my thumb along the top of her hand and savor the way it feels.
“It won’t.”
I meet her gaze. “You don’t know that.”
“Do you trust me?” She repeats my same question from a few moments ago.
And like a key, she unlocks part of me that I’ve never given anyone access to.
“I work for…” I struggle to finish my sentence.
She continues where I stop. “Something illegal.”
I nod.
“You’re a runner.”
I narrow my brows. “How did you know?”
She smiles. “I’m not a complete idiot. You get called out at random times from unknown numbers. You’re gone for hours at a time. You got mugged and had something taken from you. Which, by the way, makes no sense, because when I found you, your phone and wallet full of cash were with you. You had jewelry on.”
I kick off from the building. “Wait, so, this whole time, you’ve known, and you…”
“Didn’t care?” She shakes her head. “No. I mean, Icare, but only because you clearly underestimate your occupational hazard and it’s incredibly stressful. Every single time you leave I’m sick to my stomach that you might not actually come back. Do you know how many times I’ve genuinely thought you might be dead?”
My heart pounds, and I do the only thing that makes sense.
With both of my hands, I grab Claire by the face and press my lips against hers. It’s not exactly how I planned it in my head earlier, but holy fuck if it isn’t the best decision I’ve made in my entire life.
She steps closer and grabs my shirt collar with one hand, dragging me to her and weaving her other through my hair.
I walk our bodies toward the building and press against her small frame, backing her into the wall. I keep a firm grasp on her cheek and grip her around the waist.
She wraps her arms around my neck and pushes into me further, kissing me deeper with each passing second.
It's sweet and soft and hot and intense, all in one, and I cannot get enough.
I firmly take hold of her and lift her from the ground, wrapping her legs around my torso and pinning her in place.
She goes along with every bit of it, not seeming to want to stop in the slightest.