Page 149 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“I’m not, it’s just…”

“Why’d you tell me where you were tonight? Why let me come here?”

Lainey’s eyes narrow as her brows furrow. “You asked.” She shrugs.

“You could have told me you’d see me tomorrow. You could’ve told me to fuck off.” The crevice between her brows deepens, and she frowns for a beat before her expression turns angry.

“Believe it or not, Thomas. But I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen. It’s not easy to keep you at arm’s length. It’s not easy to sayno.”

Fuck. My chest tightens as my heart constricts. She loves me.Still. “I—”

“No, let me finish. Just because I love you doesn’t mean you wield all the power. I invited you here because I know deep down I can andwillwalk away if I need to. If I’ve learned anything in the past six years, it’s thatI come first. I won’t let you—”

“I don’t want power over you, Lainey,” I cut in, my voice raised in panic. “In fact, in my eyes, the power is allyours. I haven’t spent the last six years just fucking around, if that’s what you think. I know we were supposed to have a clean break, but the truth is…Ineverquit you. It’s been you, thisentiretime. The only reason I held back from contacting you is because you were living your life; you were doing well. And I wasn’t. I had no right dragging you into my messthenand I have no right doing it now.” I pause, my heart racing as I tell her everything I’vebeen holding on to. And I mean every word out of my mouth. If she hadn’t walked back into my life a few weeks ago, I would have left her alone. I promised myself I’d never seek her out. I’d let her live her life until she came back to me.

And she did.

She took that job with Summer knowing there was a chance she’d see me again. Sheknew. That’s gotta mean something. At the very least, it means she wanted to check up on me, and I’ll take that. I’ll take anything to have her in my life again because while I may deserve most of the negative things that come my way, being without Lainey is the worst kind of purgatory.

“I’m not telling you any of this with expectations. I just want you to know how I feel. That I—”

“What do you mean you never quit me?” She cuts me off before I can tell her I love her, and it doesn’t surprise me at all. She’s not ready to hear it.

“I mean exactly that. I never let you go.”

Lainey shakes her head, her expression panicked. I’ve thrown too much at her before we’ve even had a chance to reconnect. I should have eased her into it.

“Why don’t we go back out and dance?” I say, stepping away. “I don’t want you to get in trouble, and we can talk tomorrow.”

“Oh, um,” she hesitates, looking up at me with a puzzled expression. “No, it’s okay. Shauna said I could leave.”

“Do you want to leave?” I ask, ignoring the urge I have to see her dancing again or to have the chance to hold her in my arms.

Her nose scrunches and she shakes her head. “Is it wrong if I don’t? Do you mind if I finish my shift?”

“No, Lainey.” I chuckle, knowing I want the opposite. “If you want to stay, then we’ll stay,” I say to her surprise. “What time do you get off?”

Her eyes widen as her mouth opens slightly. “We?”

“Yes, we. Unless you tell me to leave, you’re stuck with me tonight. But don’t worry, I won’t cramp your style. I like seeing you in your element.”

“You know I have to dance with other people, right?” She raises a brow in challenge, but I hold strong.

“How is that different from before?” I laugh. “It’ll be fun.” And while she didn’t give me any indication that there was a chance for us, the sparkle in her eyes tells me not to rule it out.

“Okay,” she says, brushing invisible dirt from her dress. “Let’s hope they’re not famous last words.”

Chapter Fifty

Lainey

For the next hour, we both dance separately. And yet, our bodies naturally gravitate toward each other, always close enough to get a glimpse of the other, but far enough away not to draw attention.

On the rare occasions that our paths cross, Thomas always makes contact, a subtle brush across my ass or a gentle knock of my shoulder, his gaze always watching for my reaction. And from the look on his face, I know he’s loving the effect he has on me.

As he should.

There are more attractive men here than should be legal in one place, but I can’t take my eyes off Thomas. And it’s the strangest feeling because every second he’s with another woman makes me crave him even more, and I’m not even sure how I’m supposed to feel right now.

---