Page 60 of You're the Reason

“Okay.” Why was his voice coming out so ragged?

“Oh, did you want to talk first?” She met his gaze in the mirror.

Should they? Probably. But he knew the reality that the talk could change everything. He just wanted five minutes of this. Five more minutesbefore?—

“Lift first then talk.”

“Okay, on three. One . . . two . . . th?—”

He lifted but it was awkward, and she pulled up. He set her back down.

“You lifted too soon. Wait until three. Then I can jump into it.”

Grace took her position again and waited for him to grab her waist once more. “One... two... three.”

This time they were more in sync, but he only got her about three feet off the ground. Seth shook his head. “You have to lean back more.”

Grace eyed him over her shoulder. “You are coaching me now after one video?”

“I may not know about dancing, but I know I can’t deadlift you unless I can get under you. And I can’t get under you if you stay vertical.”

She didn’t comment but nodded. On the next attempt, she did better but she still seemed to be holding back. “Do you think I’ll drop you?”

She walked a few feet to the mirror. “Last time I did this lift I didn’t have enough strength in my leg to jump, so I wasn’t high enough, and my partner did drop me. So yeah, maybe I’m not as ready as I thought I was.”

“Hey.” He walked up behind her, his hand finding her waist again as he leaned toward her ear. “You can trust me. I won’t drop you no matter what.”

She only hesitated a second before she nodded and went back into position. On three she threw herself into the lift, and he was there to support her. With her arms stretched out, her back curving over his hands. Wow. He looked a little like an oafish wrestler holding up the championship belt, but she looked good enough for the both of them.

His arms began to tense. Maybe they should have watched the end of the video too, because he wasn’t exactly sure how to get her down from this position.

After a moment, she placed her hands on his, and he began lowering her down. The unpracticed move landed her half on his shoulder, then sliding down his chest, only to launch forward when she touched down.

She landed with an oof on her hands and knees. “We’ll have to practice that part.”

Seth rushed forward and helped her up. “I’m so sorry.”

He pulled her hands up and examined them. The skin was a touch pink but none of it was missing. His thumb trailed over her palm. Then again. He met her gaze. Her blue eyes were wide, lips slightly parted.

“We should probably talk.” But he didn’t step back. He couldn’t. It was as if he were trapped in her orbit and now that he was this close to her, he couldn’t willingly pull away.

Her free hand slid over his heart. “I know you don’t like to let people in here. But just like you asked me a few minutes ago to trust you, trust me.”

She had no idea how very much he wanted to. But... but what? His mind had gone cloudy with need. Not just the physical need for her to be close. But the need for someone to see him, know him, and still love him.

He didn’t remember moving, but now her lips were just a breath away. He needed to stop this. To back up. To get everything on the table. But it was as if an invisible thread tugged him forward.

“We really do need to talk.” He finally managed the words rough and low.

“Okay.” The breath from the word brushed across his lips as her hands settled on the sides of his waist. “We will.”

And when her fingers began to lightly toy with the skin where his shirt had come untucked, his last bit of self-control crumbled. Seth brushed his lips across hers. Then again. Her lips were so soft and intoxicating that he was nearly going out of his mind.

He waited for her to pull back, to push him away, anything that would ground him. But when her lips pressed into his, hunger like he’d never known traveled through him, and he stopped fighting the pull to deepen the kiss. And in that moment, every cell in his body lit up, and his skin began to hum.

This was better than any high he’d ever had before, because it wasn’t just the touch of their lips, it was Grace. Grace, who knew him. Grace, who he’d found himself wanting to open up to. Grace, who had met his mother. Grace, who had a glimpse into his world and had not run screaming.

His hand slid up to her neck, her pulse hammering against his thumb. He needed to slow the kiss, but when she released the tiniest moan, Seth couldn’t remember why he wanted to end it or what they’d even needed to talk about. His fingers dug into her hair, pulling her closer.

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