Page 72 of Ink & Stardust

“To be brutally honest, I thought you were a selfish man whore who only cared about what wet hole he could stick his cock into next.” I grimace apologetically.

“And now?”

“Now.” I blow out a hard breath. “You’re smart, driven, talented, funny, caring. Basically, all the things I never dreamed you would be.”

“I think you give me too much credit.”

“I think you don’t give yourself enough,” I disagree.

He thinks on that for a long moment as he hands candy to another small group of kids. It looks like most of them have cleared out, though I can see another large group just a few houses down.

“What about you? Are you close to your parents?” He waits until they walk away before asking.

“Yeah, I guess you could say we’re close. I mean, I don’t talk to them as much as I should. Or see them as often as I’d like.”

“What about your brothers?”

“What about them?”

“Do you get along?”

“For the most part. I mean, River and I used to go at it sometimes when we were kids, mainly because I’d follow him and his friends around all the time when I was little. There’re five years between us,” I quickly explain. “But as we got older, we grew extremely close. He’s not just my brother. He’s my best friend.” I smile at the thought. “Dalton, on the other hand, is more like a second father. He’s ten years older than me and has always treated me like a baby. It’s gotten better since he had children of his own. My two nieces.”

“How old are they?”

“Lyla is three and Lacy is one.”

“You miss them.” It isn’t a question.

“I do.” I nod. “I miss all of them. I’m excited to get to see them for Thanksgiving, though.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Five days.”

“Five days...” He lets out an audible sigh. “Not sure how I’m going to pass the time while you’re away.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” I wink, turning my attention to the large group of kids that start up the stairs toward us.

We continue to pass out candy for another half an hour, and somehow, miraculously, don’t run out before the last child comes. Shortly after, Norma invites us to stay and watchHocus Pocuswith her, and of course, I can’t say no.

Watching Kai interact with his grandma really is a sight to behold. There’s no sign of the hardened man he portrays on campus. Not even a glimpse of the cocky smolder he wears on his face like a mask. He’s completely himself with her and by extension, with me. I’ve never seen him laugh so freely or talk so animatedly.

He brought me into his home—his safe space—the place where he can truly be himself, and he let meseehim. Truly see him. And it was in that moment, in the quiet of the room when he was watching the movie and I was watching him, that I fully let myself embrace my feelings for this man.

I love him.

There’s no denying that anymore.

The only question left is, what in the hell am I going to do about it?

Chapter Twelve

“You’re staring,” I say, my eyes remaining on the book open on the table in front of me. I don’t know how to explain it, but when Kai looks at me, I canfeelit. Like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud, warming my skin.

“If you were sitting across from you, you’d be staring too.” He chuckles, his smirk the first thing I see when I finally glance up.

“Thank you, I think.” I crinkle my nose at him playfully. “You should really keep your eyes on your work, though. Otherwise, I’m going to feel really guilty when you fail a class and don’t get into your master’s program.”

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