Page 117 of Fall Into Me

He gave me a small, reassuring smile. “When you need to be steady again, you will be. But when you don’t, when you’re tired, you can pass it to me. I’ll hold it until you’re ready for it again.”

I stared at him, his words sinking into me like sunlight on cold skin. “And when you’re tired?”

“Then you’ll be steady,” he said, his voice so sure, like it was the simplest thing in the world. “We’ll take turns, Cali. That’s how this works.”

The certainty in his voice settled something deep inside me, a part I didn’t even realize was still restless.

“Okay,” I said. A quiet promise. “Deal.”

Fane smiled softly, brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “Good.”

For a moment, the truck was quiet again, the weight of everything we’d just shared settling in. Then his lips twitched, that familiar mischievous grin sneaking in.

“What now?” I asked warily, narrowing my eyes at him.

“You’ve got cake on your face.”

I blinked. “What?”

He nodded solemnly, reaching out to trace his thumb along my jawline.

“Right…here.”

“Fane, if you—” But before I could finish, his thumb swiped something sticky off my cheek, and he held it up triumphantly, speckled with frosting.

“It’s cake,” he said, grinning like a kid.

“Oh my god,” I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

He shrugged. “It was kind of cute.”

“Cute?” I glared at him, swiping furiously at my face. “I had vanilla frosting on my face this whole time, and you didn’t think to mention it?”

“You’ve been laughing and crying all night. Honestly, it just blended in.”

“Fane!” I smacked his arm just as he opened his door and hopped out.

“Wait, wait,” he called out, just as I rounded the front and found him leaning against the truck for support. “Don’t worry, you’re still super hot. Just…maybe a little sticky.”

“Oh, you’re dead,” I growled, shoving past him toward the house.

He followed behind me, grinning from ear to ear. “So, does this mean you’re not taking something off the sex list?”

“You know what?” I shot back without turning around. “Yes. Number three.”

His groan echoed behind me as we entered the house. I headed straight for the bathroom, slamming the door in his face and muffling his dramatic pleas. But despite myself, I couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips.

* * *

When I walked out wrapped in my towel, the house was quiet. Neither Fane nor Jerry were anywhere to be found.

Slipping on a pair of sweatpants and one of Fane’s sweaters, I dried my hair just enough to head outside and went in search of them, only to find them right at the bottom of the stairs.

Picnic blankets were laid out over one another, all the pillows and blankets from our bed arranged into the coziest-looking spread I’d ever seen. Fane was on one side, and Jerry was right next to him sprawled on his back. Light snores puffed from him into the cool night air.

“Found you,” I said from the top steps. Fane turned, a small, relaxed smile on his face, warm and sleepy and patted the blankets beside him.

As soon as I settled in, Fane slid his arm under me, dragged me against him, and placed a kiss on my temple while I tucked my feet between his legs.

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