Page 68 of Cross My Heart

I look over at Thomas with a frown on my face. “You want your jacket back?”

“Nah.” He grins. “I’m taking you on that date.”

Tyler coughs and Thomas’ grin widens.

They trade spots, Tyler coming to sit next to me, and Thomas leaving. I continue to keep my eyes on the night sky as if it’s going to suddenly start showing me its stars. But it doesn’t. They’re dim and scarce, and I frown. I don’t know why Ty is out here with me, but suddenly I don’t want him to be. It’s too painful to think about being so close to him without being able to do what I want. Kiss him, love him, be with him.

“What are you doing here, Ty?” I ask him, breathing in his scent.

“I see how you’re looking at him,” Ty says under his breath, a hint of jealousy in his tone.

“How am I looking at him?”

“Like you want to eat him,” he growls, and I laugh. “It’s not fucking funny.”

“Are you—” I stutter. “Are you jealous?”

“What if I am?” he snaps, and my jaw drops. “What if Iam?”

“I don’t know what to say, Ty,” I reply softly.

Ty chuckles. “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” he asks me coldly. “You’re gonna go out with him?”

“Would you prefer I wait for you until the end of time?” I snap. “I’m not a fool anymore, Tyler. I won’t wait around for someone who isn’t sure of me.”

“I’ve always been sure of you.”

“I let you get in my head all these years, but I can’t stay here if you keep treating me like I’m your husband too. You can’t have us both.”

“I don’t want you both,” Ty growls, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward him. I immediately look inside, trying to see if Scarlett is around. The last thing I want to do is fight with her.

“Let me go, Ty,” I growl back.

“I want you, Noah Milner.” My stomach flips as if I’m on a rollercoaster, and it would be easy to let go of everything and jump head-first into whatever he offers me, but I shake my head. “So no—I’m not letting you go.”

I try to shove him off, but he pulls me until I fall to my knees on the concrete, and he follows. Anger flows through my veins as I look at him, turning toward him to shove him back, but instead, he crashes his lips to mine.

The kiss is hard and brutal, his lips firm against mine, unyielding. Until they are. He suddenly licks the seam of my lips, and I grant him entry, widening my mouth to accommodate his tongue. He strokes mine with his, then sucks on it, and I groan. My hands fall to his chest, fingers digging into his pectoral muscles. And just when I think he’s going to let me catch my breath, he comes back in and sweeps me under like a rogue wave.

We break apart, panting, eyes dilated, chests heaving.

It’s not enough.

And it never will be again.

I want him.

Needhim.

Yet I know I shouldn't.

Chapter 36

TYLER

The bar is packed tonight, even more so than usual for a Saturday night. I’m cleaning the bar top with a white rag as one of my good friends, Gus, comes to sit across from me on one of the only empty stools. I know exactly what he wants to do—talk about Noah. And that’s the last thing I want to do. Not after the way things went last night. I can’t believe Noah would give Thomas a chance like that, knowing it would hurt me.

I haven’t felt that jealous since he brought Jeremiah here, and I can admit it wasn’t my proudest moment snapping at him like that. But I can’t regret it. It led to that kiss—the one I’ve been dreaming about ever since. Still, the rage I felt flowing through my veins reminded me that I’ll never be over Noah Milner. It also reinforced that I’ll do anything to make him mine again.

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