Page 149 of Never After Us
His smile is soft, crooked, reverent.And then he kisses me again—this time, with all the heat and emotion wrapped in it.Not rushed, not hungry.Just deep.
A love letter written in lips and tongue and sighs.
And as we move together again, it’s slower now, gentler.Like we’re not trying to lose ourselves in each other—but find everything we thought we’d lost.
Maybe that’s what this is.
Healing.
Hope.
Love, whispered between heartbeats, cradled in bodies that finally feel safe.
Not rushed.Not borrowed.Not conditional.
Just real.
Raw.
Ours.
For the first time in so long, I let myself believe that it’s okay to want this.
To want him.
To stay and think about forever.
ChapterSixty-One
Alec
Not sure what’s worse, being caught reading a letter or having the Spanish Inquisition questioning me too early in the morning.
“Are you moving in with us?”Mila asks.
“Excuse me?”I lower the letter and look at her, wanting to say,You’re not supposed to be out of your room before seven-thirty.But I’m in no position to say that.
“You stayed the night in Mommy’s room,” she states.
“Did I?”
She nods.“I woke up from a nightmare, and I saw you there when Mom opened the door.She said you were tired after practice, so she let you stay.”
“It was very nice of her,” I agree because, fuck, when did all that happen?
I’m a light sleeper.I would’ve heard the knocking and hidden somewhere where she would never know I was sleeping in her mom’s bed.
“Mom’s nice.I’m sure she’ll be very nice if you two fall in love,” she continues, then gives me that look that says, I might get away with this.“Can you do it soon?I want a baby brother.”
“Yes, I remember that,” I state, but really it’s more like I want to die here.Someone just dig my grave like right about now.“I also remember that you’re supposed to stay in your room until seven-thirty.”
She glares at me then turns around.“I’ll be back with more questions, Mr.Neighbor.”
“I wouldn’t expect any less from you,” I say feeling victorious but knowing I only won a battle and she intends to win the war.
Then, I go back to reading the letter.
Dear Alec,
