Page 44 of Love You Always

I almost didn’t even recognize the moment as significant because it felt like the film sets where I spend half my time. The lighting perfect. The air still. Everything about the moment felt like a curated movie designed to signal a romantic moment instead of what it really was—the beginning of something that could change the trajectory of my life. Something that already has.

Archer tips his forehead against mine and I feel the weight of his inhale, as though he’s wrestling with his conscience like he was the last time I saw him, trying to talk himself down.

“I want you more than I’ve wanted anything in my life, but I’m worried it’s not right…” His words sound choked and regretful. His eyes meet mine, assessing whether I agree.

“Stop worrying. It’s right.”

“Yeah?” There’s still sadness in his eyes, but his hands curl around mine, holding me in place.

I nod against his forehead. “I wouldn’t have come here otherwise.”

His chest rises and falls with another strangled breath. His hands slowly work their way up my arms, leaving goose bumps in their wake, until they roam over my shoulders and he’s cupping my chin in his hands.

“I’m glad you did.” His voice has that morning gruffness, though I suspect he wasn’t sleeping when I pulled up. “I just…” Hecloses his eyes and presses his lips together. “I know you came here out of a rough situation, and I don’t want to mistake that for something else.” His throat works as he swallows hard. “I don’t want you to regret anything that…might happen.”

I nod, more certain than anything of what I want. “I’ll only regret it if it doesn’t happen.”

His whole body shudders like I’ve set off a firestorm. He takes one more slow breath, eyes fixed on mine. They glow with a feral darkness I’ve never seen before. It’s hot, sexy. It’s everything I need.

Like a rubber band stretched to its limits, I can feel his self-restraint snap. Still holding my face in his hands, he lowers his lips to mine. Carefully. Gently. Like there’s no going back once our mouths collide.

When I feel the soft pressure of his lips, my veins light up with heat that almost knocks me over. I hold on to him to steady myself and lean into the whirling dizziness that comes from a kiss I’ve wanted so badly it hurts.

I don’t breathe. I can’t.

I let him kiss me until it’s the only thing I feel, the pressure of his lips begging me for more.

My hands move into his hair, which is soft and silky as my fingers brush through the strands. Every part of my body aches to get closer to him, to feel him against me.

Our tongues tangle and taste. I feel myself running short of breath, but I don’t care.

Finally, he breaks the kiss, his breath a rumble against my mouth. “God, Ella, I can’t get enough of you…” I don’t respond with words. Instead, I pull his face to mine again and kiss him hard, urging him toward something I can’t articulate.

More.

“Morning.” A soft voice startles us apart. Archer swears under his breath and rests his forehead on his fingers.

I look up to see a woman standing in the doorway of Archer’shouse wearing a short, hot pink dress. It’s a definite walk-of-shame dress. No one wears that on a Saturday morning unless it’s a leftover from Friday night.

My eyes stretch wide, but my brain is already directing traffic, telling me to turn around and get back in my car. I’m sure my mortification is written on my face.

“Ella, hang on,” Archer says calmly, even though he looks caught like a deer on a hunting ground. “She’s just a friend.”

It still doesn’t look good. My mind spins, and the lack of sleep and the oxygen deprivation I just experienced aren’t helping. For all I know, he’s just placating me with that story about taking care of a friend. The last thing I need is to pour my heart out to a man who’s in the middle of a hookup or a date or whatever Archer Corbett does when he’s not worrying about grapes.

Archer looks torn between my rapid dash away from him and the woman still talking from the doorway. “How did I end up here? Ugh, I’m seriously so hungover.”

“Ella, hang on. Just come inside and we can talk.”

“No thank you.” I slide into my car and start to close the door, but Archer wedges himself in the space in front of it. “Do you mind? I need to drive my car, and I can’t with your large body blocking my door.”

“Actually, I do mind. I want you to come inside.”

“Why in the world would I do that when you already have someone inside?”

“I told you she’s a friend.”

“Feels like I hear that a lot these days. Callum’s tour manager was a ‘friend’ until I found him banging her last night. Why would I believe any guy?” I’m still dizzy over our kiss, and I’m trying to push away the image of him kissing her too.

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