Page 82 of Tough Call

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. I’m good.” He kissed me again, then opened up enough space between us to look in my eyes. Trailing his fingers down his cheek, he whispered, “I knew this was going to be amazing. Having you here. Being together all the time. I just didn’t think…” He trailed off.

I swallowed. “I did too. But it’s been so much better than I even imagined. And that’s saying something.”

“Yeah?” There was a hint of shyness in that little smile. Shyness and… was that hopefulness?

Nodding, I smoothed his wet hair. “When I reached out to you in Prague, I just thought it would be fun to reconnect. When I agreed to come to Spain, I thought… I don’t even know what I thought this would be like. But it’s…” I chewed my lip, not quite sure how to articulate it. Finally, I settled on, “Whatever I expected, it’s been blown out of the water by reality.”

Madars laughed softly, and there was a touch of relief in his voice. “So it’s not just me?”

“No. It’s absolutely not just you.”

“Good. I was afraid this was one-sided and⁠—”

“It’s not.” I drew him in, and when our lips were nearly touching, I murmured, “It’s definitely not just you.” Then I kissed him, and I would never stop reveling in the way his whole body seemed to melt against me. How he seemed to lose himself in my kiss the same way I lost myself in his.

God, he was just perfect for me. Everything about this—about him, about us—was so damn perfect, it almost brought me to tears.

I was the one to break away this time. “Can I confess something?”

He met my gaze, a hint of alarm in his eyes. “Okay?”

I slid my hand up into his wet hair. “Since January, a day hasn’t gone by that I haven’t been so damn glad I saw your name and reached out to you in Prague.”

He smiled, running his palm up my side as he leaned in close again. “Me too. Every day.” His lips brushed mine. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you’re here.”

“Neither can I.” I paused. “But then I try to sit down after a night in bed with you⁠—”

He laughed. “Oh come on. I don’t fuck you that hard.” With a wicked glint in his eyes, he added, “I mean, I could if you wanted me to…”

“Ooh, that sounds like fun. As long as we’re not skating the next day.”

“Perfect,” he breathed, and then he had my mouth again. I thought we might get each other all spun up for a second round, and maybe we still would, but it was quickly clear that wasn’t what this kiss was all about. Despite the momentary banter, the way he kissed me was so sweet and tender, it melted my spine. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I opened to his gentle exploration, and—Jesus. How had there ever been a time in my life when a man didn’t kiss me like this?

When this man didn’t kiss me like this?

How do I go back to my normal life after a summer with you?

Evidently we were on the same page, because he whispered, “Would it be too much if I said I wished this would never end?”

“The vacation in Spain?” I asked. “Or… this?”

Madars swallowed. “I mean, both. But…” He trailed wet fingertips down my cheek. “Mostly this.”

My heart fluttered. “It… No, it’s not too much.” I hesitated, then softly added, “I’m… we’re on the same page. I don’t want it to end either.”

“You don’t?”

Shaking my head, I said, “No. Definitely not.”

He searched my eyes. Then he kissed me again. When his lips left mine, it was just long enough for him to whisper, “I love you, Connor.”

Oh. Fuck. I very nearly did melt this time, both from his words and from the sweetest kiss ever. From the sweetest man ever. Holy shit—Madars loved me? This was… this was real, wasn’t it? Not just a summer fling after months of texting?

He loved me. This was real. And oh my God, it was perfect.

I cupped his cheek as I broke the kiss, and my voice trembled as I panted, “I love you, too.”