Page 114 of Breaking the Sinner

The tears returned, despite her best efforts. She nodded as a few spilled over.

“Stay the night, Red,” he whispered.

“I thought that was implied with the invite over here,” she whispered back. “Why areyouwhispering now?”

“Because I’m trying not to disturb your decision making when I ask you to move in with me.”

She tilted her head back, a laugh rippling out of her. “Oh, stop.”

“I’m serious. Doesn’t have to be now.” His fingers dug into the flesh of her waist as he gave her a squeeze. “But the offer is on the table.”

“You sure like to move fast,” she teased, because if she didn’t tease him, she’d break down into tears. In her deepest parts, she’d been terrified of what she’d find back in LA: that his e-mails were misleading, that he’d never really tried to help himself.

Now, she could see that Cobra hadn’t just taken the ball and run with it. He’d lobbed it over the moon.

“I told myself I wasn’t gonna ask you that when you showed up. At least not until a few weeks had gone by. Oops.” He laughed. “Gen, when I met you, I had no idea what I was doing in life. You saved me. Along with everyone at Holt Body. I might not have shit all figured out, but I’m getting there. And I’m running to get there.”

She twirled her finger in the lock of hair she’d been playing with. This, right here—this was a moment she wished she could preserve. With Cobra looking at her, intense and tender, equal parts bad boy and lost boy.

And wasn’t it the same for her? Equal parts grown, worldly woman and little girl still too scared to leave her family.

“And I haven’t told you in person yet,” Cobra said, his palms smoothing a warm path over her shoulders. “I love you. So much, Genny.”

The words from his lips sank into her like an anchor in the open sea. Reaching all the way to her core. Into the softest, most eager parts of her. Getting stuck there. Burrowing in deep. Making a home forevermore.

“That sounds a little too right,” she said, whispering again. She couldn’t help it. Everything about this day was epic. “I love you too, Cobra. More than I thought possible. More than I even realized.”

Cobra surged forward, capturing her lips in a kiss. He hoisted her by the hips, spinning her in a slow circle. Over his shoulder, she caught the picture of them half a year ago.

Strangers.

Sinners.

And saviors.

Epilogue

“Okay, okay. One more.”

Cobra pressed his lips to Gen’s, snagging one last smooch. When they broke apart, she grinned ear to ear.

“One more,” he said, leaning forward again.

When that kiss broke, Gen pressed a palm against his chest. “We’re stuck in the infinite loop again.”

This had been their morning routine for six months now. Come into work together, spend five minutes saying goodbye near the front desk, and then they’d go their separate ways: Cobra into the weight room, where he still helped on occasion, or back to the private lessons gym to see a client, while Gen headed into the back office as Travis’s second full-time accountant.

He cupped her face in his hands. “Last one.” And then he smooched her so hard his lips tingled. When they broke apart, a giggle ripped out of her. She swatted his chest.

“You messed up my lip gloss,” she teased, but he knew she didn’t care. That was their joke—as an LA girl, she should wear lipstick and lip gloss and contour and all that shit. Gen was more gorgeous than anyone, but still didn’t do a damn thing most days, except for lip gloss.

“It looks better messed up.” He pushed her at the hip. “Go to work. You’re gonna be late.”

“Same to you.” She sent him a sultry look over her shoulder. Six months together. Six months under the same roof. And some days, it still didn’t seem like enough. He could see her every day for the rest of his life and it might not be enough.

It was crazy. He was in a relationship, and it didn’t make him want to run screaming for the Hollywood Hills. In fact, it was fucking awesome.

Cobra watched her saunter down the hallway, no trace of the little limp that had plagued her when they’d first met. She was rehabilitated now—strong and solid. And this weekend, she would celebrate one year in LA.

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