Page 73 of All Stars Fall
She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled back, our foreheads touching. “I don’t know how to navigate this. It’s not like they have a rule book for dating rock stars.”
“Did you just feed my ego a rock star compliment?”
“Shut up.”
I pulled her in for another kiss, smiling against her pout. “We take it a day at a time. When they start school, they start school. Think of it this way. They’re going to have after-school activities, practices, plays, macaroni necklaces—and you’ll be there for it all.”
“What makes you so sure?” she whispered.
“Because you stayed when any normal person would have run away, pissed at the world. Because you fought for them before you fought for you. And because when I look up at the stars, you remind me that no matter how secure they may look—they still fall. And sometimes in falling, you find your forever.”
“Are you saying you fell?” She bit down on her bottom lip, a hopeful look in her eyes.
“I fell the first day I saw you. I’m still falling. I don’t ever want to stop. I pray there’s never a day I wake up and realize I’m on the ground—because I want to be in a constant state of falling in love with you.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, I kissed her again.
I wiped her tears and carried her up the stairs.
Past my children’s rooms.
As visions of a life with her danced in my head.
As songs I hadn’t yet written played in perfect cadence.
As the warmth of her body gave me hope.
As I carried her into a bedroom I hoped one day to call ours.
And kissed her deep, hard.
She didn’t protest when I pulled the clothes from her body, leaving nothing behind, as I took in her smooth skin and then pulled her onto the bed and covered my body with hers. “This time, I go slow.”
“Think you’ll last?” she teased.
“That’s it.” I reached for a pillow but she’d already flipped me onto my back. I let her, obviously, and grinned up at her. “What are you going to do?”
“Kiss you.” She leaned down, touching our lips together. “Everywhere I want.”
“No complaints here.” I watched her devour me with her eyes, and then felt her do the same with her mouth. She gripped me, and I slapped her hand away because I wanted more than that. “Together, I want us together, I want to watch us together.”
I pulled her onto me, my hands on her hips. She slid over me and let out a large gasp while she moved in perfect rhythm.
A rhythm I didn’t realize had been in my heart for years.
A rhythm that promised forever.
That felt so right I couldn’t breathe.
“Tell me I get to keep you.” We locked eyes.
She quickened her pace, I caught her hips rocking her faster, needing to feel the realness between us. “On one condition…”
“What’s that?”
“You make Drew sign a poster.”
“You’ll pay for that.” I couldn’t even pretend to be mad, she felt too damn good. “But later, much later. Right now, I just want you, and us.”
