Page 127 of The Only Goal

“No, I’m basically done. I just…” Her voice trails off as she opens a box, then starts looking through the top of it.

“Tammy…” I pat the bed. “Really keen to play some Baxter Says, if you’re up for it.”

She doesn’t respond, and I worry my lip, wondering what’s got her so hooked.

This time I actually get off the bed, hitching my pajama bottoms. “Or we could play Tammy Says. I love both games equally.”

She sniffs, and my insides pitch. Shit, she’s crying.

Racing around the bed, I crouch down behind her. “Baby, what’s wrong? What—” She’s holding my journal, the page open on the poem I wrote her. Shit, why had I bookmarked that thing? Seriously.

I frown.

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be reading this without your permission, but it caught my eye…” She looks over her shoulder, staring up at me with a glassy smile. “Did you write this?”

I nod. “I used to journal.” Then I cringe. “I still do.”

“I love that,” she murmurs, then brushes her fingers over my words.

“When did you write this?”

“In high school,” I admit. “It’s not great.”

“It’s perfect,” she whispers, looking at me with the sweetest smile. “Is it about me?”

I swallow, taking the journal from her and placing it back into the box. “Yeah,” I rasp, my skin catching fire.

She swivels, rising on her knees so we’re eye level. Taking my face in her hands, she brushes her thumb over my bottom lip. “I’m sorry it took me so long to see you. To see how you really felt about me.”

I cringe, dipping my head. “I should have told you. I was just scared you wouldn’t want me in that way. I didn’t think I could handle losing you.”

“You’ll never lose me.” Her brown gaze drinks me in. “I know that our situation is messy and complex. I know that I’m always tied to Hudson through Kai, and that’s going to be really hard sometimes.” Her hold on me tightens, like she’s desperate for me to understand this next part. I run my hands down her sides, lightly holding her hips. “But I’m yours, Bax. From now on… yours and yours alone. You’re the only man I want to be with.”

My voice drops to a husky whisper as I catch her against me and rise from the floor. “Then be with me, baby.”

CHAPTER 60

TAMMY

The back of Baxter’s knees hit the bed and he flops down, bringing me with him. Straddling his waist, I pull him in for a kiss that hopefully amplifies everything I just told him. Because I mean it. I mean it so freaking hard.

I’m his forever.

And maybe I always have been.

Because kissing him like this feels so right.

I’m home now. My soul knows it, and my heart is starting to believe it too.

It won’t be an easy road. My parents won’t let this be smooth sailing, and neither will Hudson. He may have told me to go, but once he sobers up and gets an earful from his parents, he’ll no doubt be chasing us down again.

But I won’t let it scare me this time.

I deserve to be with Baxter, and if there’s a fight coming, then I know he’ll stand by my side. And so will everyone in this place. Because that’s what family does. That’s what family is. They support each other. They stick together no matter what. There are no rules or conditions. It’s just love—plain and simple.

Baxter’s hands start to travel across my back, lightly squeezing my neck before drifting down to my ass. He gives me a firm, suggestive squeeze as the ember that’s been waiting for him flares to life.

I giggle against his lips when I tip my hips, grinding against the shaft in his pajama pants.

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