Page 147 of Steps

“I could make something.” I slither out of bed andpick up my nightshirt.

He snorts. “Toya, come on. I’m trying to beromantic and bring you breakfast in bed.”

“Oops, sorry.” I give him a cute smile. “Nexttime.”

We walk to the kitchen, and I open the fridge ashe sits at the small island. “What do you usually have for breakfast?”

“Cereal.” He chortles after.

I peer back at him with narrowed eyes. “So yourromantic breakfast in bed was going to be cereal?”

Varen eyes me innocently. “Oops.”

“Ugh.” I suck my teeth and turn back to thefridge, taking out milk. Opening the cabinet, I notice there are two bowls.Does that mean he’s been waiting for me to move in with him?

A smile tugs at my lips as I pour cheerios intothe bowls and fill them with milk.

“Hey, uh, I was going to ask last night, but wewere kind of busy.” He chuckles. “What happened to your bracelet?”

My stomach tightens, along with the weakening ofmy smile. “Um…” I carry over the bowls, sitting on the stool next to him.“Don’t be mad, but it broke.”

“Oh.” He starts eating. “It’s okay. I’ll fix itfor you. You brought it, right?”

I twirl my cheerios, nervous about telling him therest.

“Hello?” He pokes my side. “Where’s yourbracelet?”

“Um, August offered to fix it for me.” I fill mymouth with cheerios.

Varen stops eating. “What? Why would he? Were youtogether when it broke?”

I look at him. “He took me to this writing seminara few weeks ago, along with his friend in the writer’s program. Anyway, we wentto lunch after and my bracelet got caught on my clutch and broke. So, he saidhe’d fix it for me.”

Varen nods slowly. “Okay, I’m glad that you got todo that. I know how much you love writing, so I’m all for advancing yourself.But it’s been weeks, why the hell does he still have your bracelet? Doesn’ttake that long to fix.”

I shrug. “Maybe it does.”

“Yeah, right.” He seems so upset. “He’s probablygetting off on it.”

“Varen! Why are you getting jealous? There’snothing between August and me.”

Sarcasm laces his tone as he says, “Really? I bethe couldn’t wait for us to break up. Did you go out with him again after that?”

“No.” I huff. “You have some nerve when youwere out fucking other girls.”

His brows shoot up, seeing my anger. I march overto my bag on the couch, frustratingly picking out something to wear aftershowering.

Varen snakes up to my back and loops his armsaround my waist. He lowers his chin to my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m a dick. Butyou should know that I haven’t slept with anyone since you.”

I relax a little. “But you still kissed them. Youwere kissing that girl last night.” I snort at myself. “And yet I still camehome with you. Wow.” I massage my temples.

Turning me to face him, he moves my hands andholds on to them. “I’m sorry. I won’t even make excuses.” He pulls me into hischest. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”

“The rest of your life? How do you know you’llfeel this way forever?”

He kisses me before answering. “The moment Irealized I was in love with you four months ago.”

I touch his face. “Why choose me to be your last?”

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