Page 117 of Pick Me

His sister.

“Yeah,” I admitted. “But I’m glad he’s not here.”

Thea lifted a brow, curiosity flashing in her eyes. “Oh?”

I smirked. “Because it means I can dothis.”

Leaning over the center console, I cupped her face, pulling her in for a kiss.

She sighed against my lips, melting into me, and just like that, all the tension from not being able to touch her, kiss her,have her, finally faded.

And nothing had ever felt better.

Pulling away, Thea licked her lips, a slow, satisfied smile curling across her face.

“That was nice,” she murmured, her eyes still closed, looking completely at peace.

If the car weren’t so small, if I wasn’t already crammed into my seat, I’d havedraggedher over the console and had my way with her.

But public sex in a parking lot?

A little too risky for me.

No matter how tempting the idea of being stuck in a jail cell with Thea sounded.

“I love you, Thea.”

Fuck.

Did I justsaythat? The only other woman I’d ever uttered those words to was mymom.

Her eyes popped open, locking onto mine, searching my face like she was trying to figure out if she’d heard me right.

And she had.

I might haveaccidentallysaid it, but that didn’t make it any lesstrue. I didn’t flinch. Didn’t backtrack. I just let it settle between us because there wasnodenying it—I had never loved a girl the way I loved Thea Joyce.

And I doubted I everwouldagain.

“Wh-what?”

Ohshit.

Had Iread this wrong? Had I just pulled a Tanner—pushing things further than we were ready for?

I shook my head, tearing my gaze away from her, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter,” I muttered.

Just because I wasdownbadfor this girl didn’t mean she was ready to hear it.

A soft scratch against my palm had my breath slowing. I turned back toward her, and—

She wassmiling.Not her usual smirk, not one laced with sarcasm or teasing. She looked happy. Ecstatic, even. Wait a minute…Was she happy about this?

“Did you just tell me you loved me, Baseball Cap?”

I swallowed hard. “Yes…”

Her fingers curled around mine, her voice dipping to something almostshy. “Well, that’s good,” she whispered, “because I love you too. The more I think about it,” she continued, her eyes holding mine, “the more I think I liked you the minute I met you. I was just too dumb to realize it.”

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