Page 114 of Hold Me Today

But it’s hard showcasing patience when all I want to do is push her back against the sofa and kiss her. One kiss for every day we’ve spent apart. Except not even that is enough.

Shoving my hands deep into the front pockets of my jeans, I try to make her smile. “Want me to wait outside while you think about it?” I cock my head to the side, pretending to give the idea considerable thought. “I can come back when you’re ready.”

“What?No.”

Heat seeps into my limbs, hope dogging its tail. “Just a suggestion, Ermione.”

“I’m not a fan.”

Taking a risk, I step forward. Half a foot at most, nothing more. A way to test the waters. I may have heard almost everything she said while I was camped out in the kitchen like a voyeur, but I’m not about to push my luck unless she gives me the go-ahead with blaring sirens and obnoxious confetti cannons.

I’m playing the long game here. Anything less won’t do.

Cutting my gaze up from her stained sweatshirt to her face, I rest my weight on my left foot. “What are you a fan of, then?”

“You, Nick.”

Well, damn.

I blink, then blink again, then do the very manly thing of coughing to keep from showing that I might—maybe—like that statement of hers a little too much.

She matches my step with one of her own, the hem of her sweats dragging along the hardwood floor. “I need to tell you something, and I need you to be patient with me . . . even if it takes me a few tries to get it out the way I want.” She pauses, and the mask of pleasantry slips from her features to expose a desperation that matches mine. “Can you do that for me?”

Yes.

If this ends with her in my arms, I’ll do anything she fucking wants.

“Go ahead.” I tip my head in a small nod, my voice nothing more than grit and want. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Her shoulders freefall with a relieved exhale that feels like a breeze kissing my skin. “This is . . . I want to—” She closes her lids, and I watch her mouth move to form the words,You can do this. Her silent encouragement to herself kicks my pulse into overdrive. “The first time I saw you, you were building a blanket fort in your old bedroom. I peeked inside when you were putting on the final touches. You asked if I wanted to join, and I remember how badly I wanted to say yes.”

Mouth dry, I roll my lips together and regret leaving the water glass in the kitchen. I feel parched, but I’ve got a feeling that has more to do with the woman in front of me than actual dehydration. She turns me inside out. “You crept into my room once Effie fell asleep.”

“Yeah, I did.” She gives me a wobbly, tremulous grin. “We were in middle school when you started walking Effie and me home. Do you remember? The days when she stayed late for soccer practice were my favorite. We argued, as always, but I-I lived for those moments when I wassosure we were about to hold hands.” Visibly swallowing, she moves closer. Only one step, but I feel the new proximity like a fiery brand to my skin. “But nothing compared to those summers in Greece. I—God, I can’t believe I’m about to admit this.”

Blood thunders in my head. I’m unaware of my feet moving, carrying me forward until my chest is inches away from hers. When she inhales sharply, I feel it, too. When her fingers curl in tightly, I put my hope on the map and slip my hand into hers. And then I repeat the words that she holds close to her heart: “Nothing you say will make me look at you any different.”

Because I love you.

“Do you remember that day on the beach when I lost my bikini top?”

I give a low laugh. “How could I ever forget?” Against all better judgment, my dick had a different perspective view on the situation—particularly when I awoke each morning from wet dreams of a topless Mina and my hand gripping my dick like my only mission in life was to get off.

Mina tugs on the hem of her sweatshirt with her free hand. “I was embarrassed, obviously, but more so because of how much I wished you had made a move.”

“If I remember correctly,” I drawl, “I almost died in the riptide.”

“Your memory is faulty.” She rolls her eyes—there’sthat sass of hers I love so much. “You came up for air within ten seconds.”

“Longest ten seconds of my life when I was robbed of the opportunity to keep staring at your tits.”

Mina throws her head back with a laugh. “Afterthatcomment, I feel better confessing how that was the first time I ever . . .you know what.”

Fuck. Me.

Cheeks flushing, she presses her palms to the sides of her face. “Yup, okay I just said that.Moving on.” I have no interest in moving on, now that I know Mina spent years playing with herself to fantasies about me, but she plows forward, clearly determined to air out all her deep, dark secrets. “The point of all of this is, I’ve always liked you, Nick. The night of your wedding, I felt so torn—stuck between wanting to do therightthing and offer only comfort and thinking maybe you’d finally realized thatIwas the girl for you all along.”

“Mina, I—”

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