Page 9 of From Us, Forever

“Don’t act like you don’t want it.”

A flush crept through the top of my chest while my toes curled. I did want it. I did want all the things he wanted to do to me, even if that made me look like a lust-driven fool. “I don’t,” I whispered, lying. “In fact, I think we should tone it down. We’ve already had sex three times today, and I don’t think that’s normal.”

My heart hammered when his lips brushed the edge of my ear. “We didn’t have sex, we fucked,hard. And I’ll show you whatournormal is when we go home tonight, and I tear that dress off you.”

A sharp inhale lodged its way up my throat, and I was at a loss for words.

Thankfully, Katy called all the boys to the stage right at the moment, saving me.

Matty, despite his earlier trepidation, delivered a heartfelt speech. A few people even shed tears as he explained the message behind his project. The rest of the boys pitched in a few words, and the label was officially launched to the public.

Lan’s absence was evident, but the boys made up for it. He was supposed to be here at Katy’s side, supporting an event that he, too, was a part of. Yet he was a no-show, and Katy had been evading questions about him.

A few hours of mingling later, Jay led me to the dance floor despite my protests. “I still don’t think this is a good idea, Jay.”

“I want to dance with my girl.” His blues left no room for argument.

Although I was getting more comfortable being by his side under watchful gazes, I wasn’t sure how I felt about dancing with my stiff knee.

“I get it. But can we dance when we get home? I’m not sure dancing is my strongest forte, given my disability.”

The light muted as we approached the dance floor, already filled with smiling couples and the sound of violin strings.

“One song, please,” he said, wrapping his arms around me to bring me flush with his body. The heat of his touch seeped through my naked back, tingling my nerve endings.

“Okay,” I mumbled, forcing my stiff feet to match his steps, careful not to let my limp show.

We moved at a slow, lingering pace while I rested my head on his shoulder.

Somehow, I ended upright back in his arms like I was supposed to, no matter the journey. Maybe the winds of destiny weren’t so cruel to me after all.

“What are you thinking?” he whispered only for me to hear.

“The adventure of our love,” I said.

“That doesn’t sound very good at all.”

“Yes, it was some ride.”

“Will you ride me tonight?” His lips tugged in a cheeky grin.

I pinched his ribs hard. “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Mikey.”

“No, I’m not.” He pouted, and a moment of comfortable silence passed between us. “It was some ride—wild. But we’ll ride out together from here on out,” he affirmed. “Nothing is ever going to force us apart, not anymore.”

I nodded, smiling.

Somehow, I knew that too. Funny how the worries of the past felt like nothing now that White was permanently out of our lives. The threat waslong gone, and I hardly thought of her these days. She was just another fleeting thought that didn’t bother me, and I hoped she’d stay that way.

It was well past midnight when we left the event, and as much as I loved it, I was exhausted. My body wasn’t made for something like this.

“Fuck, I regret making you dance.” Jay’s sorry eyes smoothed over the very prominent limp that I was sporting as I got out of the car.

My leg was killing me, anever-ending battle that I was cursed with for the rest of my life.

In an instant, I was in his arms, and I didn’t even object as I wrapped my arms around his neck, thankful for his ability to always take care of me. “Do you think I got heavy?” I asked just as we entered the elevator that shot us right to the top floor.

Jay’s face scrunched up adorably with a little pout that almost made him look childlike—boyish. At moments like this, I thought about having babies with this man. I wondered if our son would look exactly like him: wavy black hair, piercing blue eyes, and a heart-wrenching smile.

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