Page 61 of Infinite

Her head falls against my chest. I gather her close, trying to comfort her. She needs it more than me. “Nothing can happen to you, Hale. We have the best legal team money can buy. We have the pictures and the spread all planned out. Every magazine that matters is going to show the world that you returned to your throne. That in spite of all these bogus charges and sloppy work on the side of the Feds, you were innocent and all the lies are behind you.”

“Twinkles did take some mighty fine shots.”

“Tootles,” she murmurs.

“I know,” I say. “I just wanted to see you smile.”

“I will when all this is over.”

We hold each other for a long time. We finally see red and gold burn in the horizon, showing us our first hint of sunset. Our two pups sit near our feet, panting and waiting to see what’s next.

I whistle, calling them to us, so me and Becks can give them some of our love.

Love? Damn. Is that what all this has been with her? I shake my fool head. Must be so, for us to hurt as bad as we did apart and to heal as easily as we’re starting to.

“You sure you have to go?” I ask.

“For now,” she says. “I have some fires to put out, a fake ex-fiancé to shut up, and a bullheaded boss to placate.”

“They can’t pay you enough for that shit,” I mutter.

“It’s something that has occurred to me more than once,” she admits. “When we get back, I want to work on your 60 Minutes interview.”

“What?”

“Or the one for Anderson Cooper. I haven’t decided which one will air first yet.”

“What?”

She nibbles on her lip, trying not to laugh. “Hale, I told you. You hired the best.”

“We’ve never discussed payment.” I waggle my eyebrows. “However can I make this up to you?”

“With kisses,” she says. Her fingers trace over my lip. “And more when I get back.”

“How much more?” I ask, flashing her a lopsided grin.

She teases the arch of my ear with her nose. “Enough to make me glad I’m on the pill.”

“Nice,” I say, taking a nip of her chin. “Just as a public service announcement, I’m clean as whistle and more than happy to prove as much.”

She moans softly when I kiss her neck. “Same, but now isn’t the time to show you.”

“Huh?” I ask, my hands immediately stopping over the snap of her jeans.

“Hale, things are so screwed up in Charlotte. As much as I want to stay here, all night, I have to go.” She glances down briefly. “And the last thing I want is to rush this.”

I watch my hand as it splays across the soft denim of her jeans, not wanting to let her go, but not being too much of a selfish bastard to realize that, for now, she has to. “I don’t want you to go. But I won’t make you stay. When we make love, I want it to last. I want to take my time and make you feel good. I want to wake up with your bare skin pressed against me.” I stroke back her hair. “I want you to scream my name in pleasure and beg me to give you more, just like I’ve always dreamed you would.”

Her voice is thick with surprise and desire. “You don’t just want to have sex? You want to make love to me?”

“What else would you call it?” I murmur.

I speak the Gospel truth. Becca was never a woman I could fuck. She was always Becca, my beautiful friend and the woman I’ve desired since I first realized what it means to want someone.

“I call it really hard to leave you now,” she says, falling against my shoulder. “God, Hale, I really wish I could stay.

My body relaxes as hers does. I cradle her in my arms, not wanting to move. After a while, I start to drift, thinking she’s already asleep. “Are you sure about the dogs?” she asks.

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