Page 241 of Waiting Game

“You don’t have to…”

“I know I don’t. I want to.”

“I-I thought the cats were driving you crazy.”

“They are,” I dismiss. “In a good way.”

“This was supposed to be temporary,” she whispers, rubbing her fingers over the now-damp line of my jaw.

Angling into her touch, I hum.

“Cole?”

“What?”

“It was only supposed to be until this situation with the cops was dealt with.” She bites her lip. “And I stopped waking up crying.”

I could strangle Jason Griggs.

I’ve had a couple shit nightmares myself, but every time I wake up to find her sobbing in my arms, the urge to kill Griggs renews itself.

“I know.”

“And?”

“And I had no intention of letting you move out, then I realized I should warn you about that.”

She pins me with a look. “What? You were never going to let me leave?”

“No one can make you do anything you don’t want to, Mia,” I point out, letting my nose rub hers. “I was going to make you so happy that you forgot about leaving.”

“What changed?”

“I remembered that I hate miscommunication.”

A chuckle bursts from her. “Yeah, it’s, like, your least favorite trope.”

I squint at her. “Are you mocking me?”

“Hell to the yeah.” But her fingers stroke through my hair, sliding along the curve of my scalp, nails raking down in a way that makes my freakin’ spine tingle.

“Think about it, okay? You’re already mostly moved in.”

“I’m really not. I brought the cats and enough stuff with me to last a couple more days…”

“We can get a U-Haul.”

Her lips twitch. “Don’t pretend like you’ve ever moved in your life.”

“I’ve moved plenty.”

“And paid a bunch of movers to do it for you.”

“Perks of the idle rich. You could be one too.” I wink at her. “Come on. We’re great together. Gracie knows. Most of the city as well. There’s nothing to stop us.”

“Aside from an arrest warrant.”

“We’re not exactly crossing state lines, babe. Anyway, you’re not going to be arrested. Do you know how much Rachel charges? Her rates are practically extortion, but she’s damn good at what she does.”

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