Page 114 of All Our Secrets

“Go to my place, and I’ll meet you there.”

I couldn’t stop the smile. “You’re leaving early? Right now?”

There was mirth in his tone. “Sounds like I should, shouldn’t I?”

I stiffened. “Why do you sound so amused? Like maybe you’re smiling?”

“How do you know I’m smiling?”

“I can hear it in your voice.”

Silas laughed. “You better be ready, baby, because I want your ass at my place when I get there.”

_____

Despite how fast I got ready, Silas still beat us to his house. I was walking up the porch steps with the car seat when Silas opened the front door. Arms crossed, his evil smirk in place. I wanted to take a bite of him already, but then I thought of Becky and what she’d said.

I frowned.

He sighed. “Come here, sourpuss.”

I turned around instead. My heart quickened when his boots bounded down the steps behind me. Grabbing T.J.’s car seat, Silas took my son from me and kissed my forehead.

Silas’s forehead kisses got me every time. I popped up onto my tiptoes, following his lips as he leaned back.

“I missed you,” he said, and I felt my nose crinkle. “You might as well tell me what’s wrong. I know when you’re truly afraid. If something happened at your place, I would have known by the sound of your voice.”

I crossed my arms and sniffed. “I got a call from Becky today.”

“And? You going to let her dictate how you’re feeling?”

“Wow. I was looking for something romantic. Maybe a declaration of some sort.”

I saw the edge of his upturned lips before he gave me his back and went up the steps. “Get your ass in here.”

I followed him inside because he had my son. And maybe because I wanted to argue some more. A lifetime of picking fights with Silas seemed way more enjoyable than spending it with anyone else.

Crouched in front of the car seat in his living room, he looked up at me as he unbuckled T.J. “My entire world revolves around you, Peyton. Before I even had you, I would have dropped everything to be there for you. Do I do that for anyone else? No. Only you. I’d give you the moon if it were possible.”

My body warmed. He’d given me exactly what I wanted. I had to bite back a smile so big it made my cheeks ache.

Silas just shook his head at me. “You make me disgustingly sweet, woman.”

I stood there, watching him with my son, until he sighed again.

“What now?”

“Have you slept with her since you broke up with her?”

“Hell no. I would never lead her on like that. It was hard enough as it was to get her to accept the breakup.”

“She hasn’t accepted it,” I informed him, running my fingers through my hair.

“While I enjoyed your jealousy at first, I don’t like seeing you so upset.” With his free hand, he grabbed one of mine. “It’s the past. She’s the past. We can change our numbers and be done with it. Why are you letting it bother you?”

“Because I hate that you dated her at all,” I admitted, lowering my head. “She’s in our circle of friends, all who rooted for you two to get back together. It made me feel wrong for wanting you as badly as I did.” I gripped his shirt and finally focused on him again. His dark eyes dripped with a promise of desire, igniting me from tip to toe. I raised my chin. “You’re mine. It feels dirty that our friends thought you belonged with someone else. For me, you’ve been mine a lot longer than since the vacation.”

His chest rose and fell in giant pants. “Now you know how I felt every time I saw you with Theo.”

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