Page 44 of All of Me

“Yeah,” he murmurs, his voice dipping lower as he closes the space between us. “Like this.”

He cups my waist with both hands, pulling me closer as his lips brush against mine. The kiss starts slow, tentative, like he’s giving me the chance to pull away. But I don’t.

Instead, I lean into him, my fingers curling into the front of his shirt as the kiss deepens. His hands slide up my back, warm and strong, anchoring me to him as if he can feel the pieces of me threatening to come undone.

I don’t know how he does it—how he always knows exactly what I need, even when I can’t find the words to ask.

His lips travel from my mouth to the curve of my jaw, then down to my neck, leaving a trail of heat that makes my breath catch. His hands roam, one slipping to the small of my back, the other tangling gently in my hair.

“Owen…” I breathe, my voice barely audible.

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his dark eyes searching mine. “Are you okay?”

I nod, my fingers tightening in his shirt. “Yeah,” I whisper. “More than okay.”

His lips quirk into a small smile before he captures my mouth again, this time with more urgency. The kiss is deeper now, his movements more insistent, as if he’s trying to erase every worry, every ache, every fear still clinging to me.

I let myself get lost in him, in the way his hands explore my body with a mix of confidence and care, in the way his lips move against mine with a purpose that leaves no room for doubt.

When we finally break apart, his forehead rests against mine, his breath warm and uneven against my skin. “You’re not alone in this, Callie,” he whispers, his voice low and sure. “I’m here. Always.”

I close my eyes, allowing myself to believe him, to let the steady warmth of his love seep into every corner of my being, a quiet reassurance that I’m not alone. It’s in his touch, his voice, his presence.

“I know,” I whisper back, my trembling voice betraying the emotions brimming inside me. “I know.”

Owen doesn’t let me go. Instead, he pulls me closer, his arms wrapping around me like a shield, as if he can keep the rest of the world at bay.

eighteen

HOLD ON - GOOD CHARLOTTE

OWEN - DECEMBER 14, 2013

Black N’ Goldis buzzing, the kind of Friday night energy that makes the place feel alive. Laughter and clinking glasses echo off the walls, and the smell of beer and wings hangs in the air. It’s been too long since I’ve had a night like this—just me and the guys, no responsibilities for a few hours.

I walk in with Luke, Vince, and Will trailing behind me. Luke’s already talking about ordering wings, and Vince looks like he could use a drink, or five. We claim a high-top table near the back, close enough to the dartboard that Luke won’t be able to resist challenging someone to a match later.

“Man, it’s been forever since we did this,” Luke says, dropping onto a stool. “What’s it been? A couple of months?”

“Feels like forever,” Vince mutters, his expression somewhere between tired and distracted.

Will grabs a stool, spinning it once before sitting down. “That’s because you’ve had a lot of shit going on. Hell, we all have.”

I nod, leaning back. “Yeah, life’s been a little… chaotic.”

Luke whistles low, smirking. “Owen admitting it’s chaotic? That’s a first.”

“Don’t be a dick,” I mutter, though there’s no real heat in my words. My mind drifts and I grab my phone out of habit. Callie’s text thread stares back at me, empty of new messages. She’d insisted she was fine tonight, practically pushed me out the door, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about her.

“You’ve got that look,” Will says, narrowing his eyes at me.

“What look?” I ask, lifting my beer.

“That ‘I’m thinking about my girl instead of enjoying a night out’ look,” Will teases, smirking.

Luke leans in, grinning. “Oh yeah, he’s got it bad. Can’t even enjoy a beer without picturing her face, huh?”

“Shut up,” I say, shaking my head. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

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