Page 36 of Give Me Forever Love

“You two come on out and stay for a while. Figure out what your next step is.”

I nod as K hands me a beer before taking a sip of her own. “I’ve got other plans, but maybe soon.”

He hugs Lou and then K. “Give me a call.” He walks out, and all that’s left are Lou, K, and I. I lean against the countertop and enjoy my beer, pulling K beside me. I can’t get enough of her. She slips her heels off and leans on me with her ankles crossed.

Lou’s eyes move from me to my girl. “I’m glad to see you two back together,” she says.

I look down at K. “Yeah,” I reply. “That was a big shitshow.”

Lou leans on the kitchen island, linking her fingers together with narrowed eyes. “I don’t know how you got out of it, Bryson.” She unclasps her hands and holds them up. “And I don’t want to know, but I’m damn sure glad you did.

“Maybe this family can have some peace for a while if Jace doesn’t do anything insane.” She exhales. Standing upright, she pushes her blue-jeaned sleeves up her arms. “I’m afraid he’s seeing that detective, though.”

“You think so?” K says, lifting her head from my shoulder.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure.”

My blood starts to boil. “Well, he won’t bring her around me.”

Lou sighs. “Don’t let something like this tear you two apart. We can’t help who we love. You know that just as much as anyone.”

She’s referring to Mary, but that’s different. That’s the woman who gave birth to me. I didn’t choose her.

“He better fucking help it,” I say, bringing my beer to my lips.

Lou gives me a look, but I ignore it. It’s getting late, I’m tired, and I just want to hang out with my woman. I don’t want to be rude, but damn.

Lou gets the hint when I don’t apologize at her look. “I’ll give you two some privacy. Call me if you need anything.”

I nod. “’Preciate it.”

“Bye, Lou,” K says.

The door clicks shut after Lou says her goodbyes and gives us both a hug. K lifts her shoes from the floor and places her bottle on the counter.

I down mine before grabbing her and setting her up on the counter beside her beer. With her heels hooked in her fingers, she laughs, her hair falling around her face. I move it, my eyes roaming over her smiling lips. I swallow, my stomach in knots. I know I’m an asshole. I know I demand things of this woman, but the truth is, she has me by the balls. She’s completely in charge, and for the first time in my life, I don’t care. “Go somewhere with me.”

She halts her smile at my serious expression, her hand going up to the side of my face. “Anywhere,” she says. “Where you go, I go.”

Chapter Eleven

Kathrine

Golden splits of light come in through the blinds in our bedroom, filled with a swirl of dust. I inhale, feeling a heavy weight on my chest. Looking down, I see a head full of brown hair and a sleeping Bryce. He’s curled around me, like he’s floating in the vast sea and I’m his life raft.

But I’m fucking hot and I gotta pee like something serious. I move, but he grips tighter.

“Bryce, I gotta get up.”

“Uh-uh.”

“No?” I question with a smirk.

“No, I’m too comfortable.” I reach up and run my fingers through his hair. “Don’t you need to go work out or something?”

“No. I’m fucking tired. Stop talking,” he says.

I exhale. Shortly after Lou left, we went up and took a shower and then Bryce got a phone call. He told me it was the loose ends he had to tie up. It was late when he got home, and I didn’t sleep well until he crawled into bed. He pulled me to him, and we fell asleep contently. I’m tired, he’s tired, but I have a life I need to get back to. Mugs & Books hasn’t been getting my full attention, and I need to talk to Claire and Austin. I move again and he reaches up and digs his fingers into my ribcage. I jerk and try to move away from him, laughing.

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