Page 105 of When Sky Breaks

As the rain patters against the windows, we read. At one point, August lets Winter out of the bathroom and she watches us with her doe eyes from her dog bed like she knows how engrossed we are. Two hours and a bag of popcorn later, I gasp. “No way!”

August glances over as my eyes ping back and forth on the page in utter disbelief.

“Rein it in, Winters,” he growls playfully. “I’m not even at a gasp-worthy part.” He covers the page with his large hand. “Don’t tell me.”

“I won’t. But hurry up! I can’t contain this!”

“I’m trying, woman.”

Finally, after another thirty minutes, he pops his head up. “You’ve got to be shitting me. It was him the whole time?”

I nod and laugh. “Yep. I never would’ve guessed it was the neighbor’s son.”

“Damn. Me either. He was so…nice.” He rests his head back on the couch cushion, staring at the ceiling. “Usually, it’s who we least expect. But I never saw that coming.”

“Exactly,” I say, watching as goosebumps mound on my arms. I love mystery novels. Wish I was that clever to think of this stuff on my own.

August shifts and faces me on the couch, his hand resting on mine. “Just like I never saw you coming. I didn’t back then, and I definitely didn’t now. I don’t want to waste it.”

I cling to his hand. “You won’t. We won’t. Not everyone gets a second chance. But we do.”

There’s a fire in his eyes, a light I missed. He drags me in for a kiss. It’s warm and safe and feels exactly like I need it to.

Like flickering fireplaces and fuzzy blankets and the sweetest hot chocolate. Thick socks and oversized sweatshirts. Low, twinkling lights and the promise of another tomorrow.

Like home.

August tightens his grip on my face, and the pressure between my hips increases. I need him and I’m tired of waiting. I could come from kissing him alone, but I need his touch again.

“August,” I pant, my eyes glazed over once he releases my lips.

“Yeah?”

“It’s my turn.”

He cocks his head in confusion, looking too much like Winter; I almost giggle.

I stand and drag a hand through his tousled hair before walking backward to his room. “It’s my turn to find out what you sound like as you come.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

august

Nothing stops me from propelling off the couch and following behind Sky.

Except Winter.

She whines once I get up, thinking it’s time to play, and I have to wrestle the chewy toy from her mouth and toss it down the hall so she’d chase it out of the living room. Then I have to do it all over again because I feel bad about shutting her out of the bedroom where I plan to do very naughty things to her new friend.

Out of breath, I finally make it to the closed bathroom door, where I hear running water behind it. “Sky?”

“Come in.”

Swallowing, I enter and stumble over my feet.

Sky lounges in my garden bathtub, bubbles and water lapping at her chest as it rises. I get a small glimpse of a wet and shiny nipple before it disappears under the water. Her hands glide back and forth, making waves, but it’s her face that gets me.

She’s gazing at me with a mischief and boldness I missed so badly from her. The carefree and enthusiastic side of her is magnetic. It draws me further into the room.

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