Page 80 of One Touch

Still, I had to see. I had to know.

With a featherlight touch, I pushed open the door. The hinges were silent as they revealed the room’s contents—or lack thereof, to be more precise.

Every piece of clothing that had been strewn across his bed was now gone. The desk that contained the brochures for apartments was barren, not a scrap of paper in sight. There wasn’t even a piece of hockey gear left in the closet. Everything he’d brought with him had vanished like he’d never even been here.

Alaska threaded his lithe body between my legs, but not even the sudden appearance of my cat could change the hollowness seeping through my bones.

He’d left. Miller was gone, and I was once again alone.

Only this time, I wasn’t sure I would survive it.

CHAPTER29

MILLER

I wipedmy sweaty palms against my pant leg, which did nothing to dry them. Maybe I was making a mistake? No. I had to take a chance. The look of hurt on Lathan’s face had haunted me throughout the gala. I’d given my opening speech, listened to Ace and Wade in the choir, and smiled as I talked to teammates and donors. But I hadn’t been present. How could I when my heart was still standing in that hallway with Lathan?

I’d looked for him everywhere, but he’d never reappeared. Nor had his mother. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something big had happened and I was going to lose him.

That wasn’t an outcome I was ready to accept.

As soon as it was socially acceptable to leave, I’d bolted. Thank goodness I wasn’t on cleanup duty. There was no way I’d be able to focus. It was a miracle I’d been as present as I had, considering my mind had been whirling with a plan. It had taken me too long to realize what had set Lathan off, but now that I did, I knew what I had to do.

The goal was open. The shot was clear. I just had to take it.

So I’d come home, packed up my room, and tossed those darn brochures into the trash.

I hadn’t expected to wait this long and was beginning to worry I had a bigger issue to deal with. Thankfully, the door opened and put me out of my misery.

It was soft, but I heard it. How could I not when everything in my being was laser focused on it? My heart pounded as I waited. His feet shuffled on the floor, pausing midway down the hallway, and I had to plant my feet into the carpet to stop myself from going to him. Alaska didn’t have the same qualms and jumped off the bed and slipped out the small crack in the door.

The time between Alaska leaving and Lathan coming closer seemed to last a lifetime. When the door swung open, and I saw him for the first time in hours, my heart stopped, free-fell, and restarted.

He wasn’t looking up, so he didn’t notice me right away. It gave me the chance to take him in. His hair was mussed, and his shirt was untucked. It was the most disheveled I’d ever seen him. He ran his fingers through his hair before looking up. His blue eyes widened when he spotted me.

“Miller… what are you… I thought you…” he rambled, unable to finish his sentence. He swallowed, and I could no longer hold myself back. With two long strides, I stood before him, cupping his face.

“I know what you thought, Lath. It was wrong. I’m not going anywhere. I belong here with you.”

“But your stuff,” he argued, like he couldn’t let himself believe what I was saying.

I smiled, stepped back, and took his hand to lead him to the walk-in closet. I opened the door and revealed my haphazard attempt to integrate my clothing with his. “Surprise! I moved in.”

Lathan choked, but it sounded more like he was trying to stop himself from laughing and crying. “This won’t do.”

My heart sank. There it was. I thought he was on the same path, but I was wrong.

“Oh. Okay. Give me a few hours, and I’ll?—”

“It’s a good thing I put a deposit down on the other apartment on this floor. We’re going to need a bigger room and closet. I love you, Mills, but you’re a slob.”

My heart lurched forward, giving me whiplash. “You fucker! That was my line.”

“Did you just cuss, Bambi? That’s not very becoming,” he teased. Lathan stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me.

“Well, it’s warranted when you steal my thunder by declaring your love first.” I pouted.

“The things you do to me,” he said, ignoring my petulance. He trailed his nose up my neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps. My dick perked up, and my fingers curled into him as he pressed kisses to my heated skin.

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