Page 158 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“Oh yeah?” He pulls back to look in my eyes. “Name it and I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.”

“You,” I say on a breath, my chest tight as the words leave my mouth, knowing there’s no going back after this. If things don’t work between us a third time, I’m not sure I’ll survive it.

Without a word, Thomas pulls my face to his, his lips molding to mine, his kiss full of more emotion than I’ve ever felt between us.

“Tell me you don’t have to work,” he says suddenly, reaching for my hand. “Tell me we can spend the day together.”

I grimace and pull away, my body tensing as I think about work, the vision of Summer and Dylan making me shiver.How the hell had I forgotten where I was?

“What just happened?” Thomas asks, his voice full of concern as he grips my chin and angles me to face him. “Where did this anxious look come from?” He palms my cheek, smoothing my frown lines out with his thumb. But it does nothing to quell my panic.

“I stupidly forgot where we were. I have no clothes, and we were about to have sex.” Thomas bites back a smile, but I fail tosee the humor. “Don’t make me punch you. You know I won’t hold back.”

He comically winces before his face softens. “I’m sorry, but you have to know, I’m not just going to kick you out. I’ll cause a distraction. They’ll never—”

“Thomas,” Summer calls out, knocking on the door, making me jump as I cover myself with the sheet. “I’m taking Josh with me to the store before Lainey starts at eleven. Can you make sure you and your guest are dressed if you decide to leave the room?”

Thomas’s eyes flash to mine, and he frowns while I panic.Did she hear us last night?“My guest?” he asks somewhat innocently.

“Yes. Thankfully you’re at the other end of the house so we didn’t hear anything, but you left your wet clothes on the bathroom floor. And unless you’re suddenly wearing bras…” she trails off, her tone teasing, and if it was any other circumstance, I’d smile. Seeing them as brother and sister is something that will always make me happy. But right now, I’m nauseous.

“Nope, no bra for me. Myguestwill be gone before Lainey comes inside.”

“She doesn’t have to leave…”

“I know. But she has to rush off for work anyway.”

“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

We hear Summer walk away, both of us silent until the door clicks shut, but the second I know she’s gone, I bury myself in Thomas’s chest, groaning as heat coats my skin. “I’m so stupid.”

“Hey now. We’ve done nothing wrong. Unlike your brother, Summer doesn’t care who I date.”

“But—”

“No buts. I know you’re thinking about what she said when she first introduced us, but that was about protectingyou. She thinks I’m a player, and I’ve never proven her otherwise. In fact, I’ve gone to great lengths to make her believe it. I get fewer questions that way.”

He brushes off my concern, but it’s more proof that he’s still holding on to his past. I just wish I knew how much it was affecting him. I wish I couldask himhow much it was affecting him and know with no uncertainty that he was telling the truth when he answered. But I think he’s still holding back, even from himself.

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that she’s going to find out about us anyway, because as soon as you give me the all clear, I’m shouting it from the rooftops. I’m not keeping us a secret this time.”

I want to be a smart-ass and mention that he didn’t keep it a secret last time either because he told Luke. Only, a little part of me wonders if I wanted to keep it a secret formy sakerather than his. If Luke or anyone else knew back then, it would have been harder to play pretend. And that’s what we were doing. We were playing pretend.

“It wouldn’t have been right to tell them last time, when it was more about the sex than anything else. This time—”

Thomas’s eyes widen before he grabs my face in his hands, angling my head until I’m looking him dead in the eye. “It was neverabout the sex, Lainey. I wouldn’t have ended things if that was true. It’s been you. It’s only ever been you. And if you want to put me on a sex ban, I’ll still be here, every day, showing you how much I want you. How much I care. How much I…” He trails off, once again holding back the L word because he knows I’m not ready to hear it yet. Not until I can see that things are different between us. Not until we’ve tried again.And I know I’m being hypocritical because I told him I loved him yesterday, but I’d prefer to hear it when things are better between us. Not right after having the big talk. But I need him to know something.

“You didn’t let me finish. This time…it feels real. There’s no more pretending.”

Chapter Fifty-Three

Lainey

After once again kissing me with everything he’s got, my alarm went off before we could take things any further, but it didn’t matter. I was leaving with a smile and a lightness to me that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I meant what I said about it being real this time. Last time, my feelings were there, but everything was a little tainted, and we weren’t in it for the right reasons. This time, Thomas may still have some heavy baggage to work through, but we’re not going into it blind, and I’ll do anything I can to help him, while not avoiding my own issues—knowing Thomas wouldn’t let me even if I tried. We’re a team, and I believe we can get through this, but we’ve still got a little way to go. Some truths to discover. Together.

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