Page 51 of Possession

“Yeah, you still have those preassembled shipping crates?” I asked not missing his confusion. He wanted to know why Paige was looking at me like he wished she would look at him.

“Yeah, they’re in the back, I’ll show—”

“I got it,” Paige chimed in with a wicked smile, and her eyes teemed with excitement.

We both ignored Chandler’s stare as she made her way around the counter. She took my hand in hers and all the blood in my head rushed and pounded as I leaned down and kissed her once on the lips. “I’ll never make you worry again,” I whispered only for her to hear.

She bumped me with her hip and grinned. “Come on, I’ll show you where the packing supplies are.”

She led me back to the studio and once we were inside, she gave me instructions on where the packing supplies were in the storeroom. I’d asked her to disable the back door alarm for Kieran, and she didn’t seem to mind that he was here. Everything was set out and ready to go by the time she turned off the alarm.

She stood in front of me, her head down, and I took her hand in mine. “I was afraid I scared you off.”

“Not going to happen. I should’ve texted you, but I guess I didn’t want to crowd you.” I lifted her chin with my free hand.

“Please, by all means, crowd me.” She smiled. “It’s hard because I know this is new, but it feels like it’s not… time passed, things have changed, but it’s still just me and you.”

We couldn’t pretend like nothing had ever happened. Things had changed. She was fragile, and I was terrified of breaking her, but as her eyes searched mine, I could see her point. Underneath all the bullshit… it was just us, me and her, and starting from scratch was impossible. I leaned down and let my nose graze the slope of her neck. I inhaled her scent of rain and powder. She was still Paige. Scent and smile, color and soul, and as I brought my lips to her cheek, then her nose, and finally her mouth, I kissed the girl I had always loved.

I leaned back so I could see into her eyes. “I don’t want to start all over, I still love you. You from nine years ago, and you now.”

She expelled a shuddered breath. “I like that you know the not-so-bright spots of my soul, and you still love me regardless of them.”

“I love you even more because of them.” I squeezed her hand and the excitement from earlier nearly brimmed over her lashes. “It’s impossible to think when you look at me like that.”

“Like what?” She tilted her head slightly and furrowed her brows.

“Your eyes, any lingering color of regret… reluctance. It all vanishes and all I can see is you. You looking at me like I’m the only thing that matters.”

She pinned me with those sure, bright blue eyes. “To me, you’re everything.”

“So you guys are an item then?” Lana twirled her lo mein around her chopsticks with ease.

My head had continued to swim long after Declan had left The Gallery, even after I’d come home for the evening. Declan and I had packed up the painting, and with Kieran’s help, the process had gone too fast. He’d been there one second and then gone the next. His lips had been too brief, and as much as I liked Kieran, I’d wished he would’ve stayed outside.

“Paige?” Lana giggled. “Did you hear me?”

Walking on air had always been a side effect of Declan’s kisses, but now his mouth promised more… his touch promised sin and relief, delicate and rough. I wanted all of him. I brought my fingertips to my lips; they still felt raw.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Yes, you’re an item, or yes, you heard me?” She scooped another huge bite of noodles into her mouth.

“Yes. We’re together. Again.” I smiled and shook my head. “Is it crazy?”

“No, not if it makes you happy. I’m just glad you guys are working through things. It’s healthy, especially after all you’ve both been through. What changed from last night?”

Lana and I had dinner last night at this weird restaurant that one of her many conquests had taken her to once. Everything was picked fresh from the chef’s garden, made to order. The place was small, homey, and it felt like we’d been eating dinner in some stranger’s house. Only four tables, very exclusive. Lana seemed to know the chef personally. We’d talked a little bit about Declan, but then, everything hadn’t been fully processed. And when he didn’t text me, I’d thought for sure he’d chosen to pull back. I’d thought maybe he wasn’t ready. But today, at The Gallery, it felt like old times. We’d laughed and smiled, and teased and flirted. His brother watched us with a huge grin on his face. We weren’t kids anymore, and navigating this new us… it was going to be interesting.

“I can’t really pinpoint it, Lana, but something clicked today. We… we love each other, and it’s new but it’s not. See, it’s crazy, do we start over, or just keep going?” I poked my noodles with my chopsticks. My stomach too full of butterflies to eat much.

“I say fuck it, do both.” Lana’s lips broke into a huge smile and I laughed.

“Both?”

“You eat, I’ll talk.” She pushed my plate closer to me and stared. “Eat.”

I picked up my chopsticks again, swirled the noodles into a ball and popped it into my mouth. She nodded in approval.

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