Page 76 of Matched

“My future. What I want in life. You. Me. Us.”

“Yeah? Did you come to any conclusions?” It wasn’t just my hand that was shaking. I couldn’t quite believe the words that I’d seen printed on that piece of paper in solid black ink.

Nate Glover… Master of Architecture… London Southwark University… September…

I needed to hear them for myself.

“I want you to know that despite what it says on the piece of paper you read, there’s no pressure. I did this without any expectations from you. Whatever you decide, it’s okay. We never promised each other anything, and?—”

“Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shutup. I love you, okay? Of course I want—” My voice cracked, and I rubbed my hand across my eyes as my vision blurred. I blinked rapidly, seeingNate’s jaw drop, his eyes growing wider than I’d ever seen them before.

“Charlie.Charlie. Do you mean that?”

I hadn’t planned to say it aloud. Not now, and maybe not ever. But he’d heard it, and he hadn’t run away. I had to deal with it. Sliding my arms around him again, I buried my face in the juncture of his neck and shoulder, letting the feel of his warm, solid body ground me. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t say it otherwise.” Lifting my head, I forced myself to meet his gaze. “I love you, Nate.”

“Fuck,” he whispered, his palm going to his mouth. “Fuck.”

“Are you really staying here instead of going to Plymouth?”

Lowering his hand and planting it on the machine next to my side, he stared into my eyes, his gaze molten, making my knees so weak I had to press my body back against the pinball machine to keep myself steady. “Yeah, I am. It has to be approved, but my supervisor doesn’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be. I still have to find a place to stay, but I’m not worried about that. If it comes to it, I can crash with Jonas and Jada. This is what I’m doing. The details don’t matter. All that matters is that I’ll be doing my postgrad course right here.”

“Oh,” I breathed. It was one thing to read it, but to hear him confirm it…

“Did you really mean what you said?”

“For fuck’s sake. Yes.” I pulled him closer, placing my mouth to his ear. “I love you, you wanker.”

He chuckled against me. It was a little shaky, and when I drew back, I realised his eyes were as wet as mine. “My pinball prince. My unexpected match. My fuckingeverything.” He captured my mouth in a soft, slow kiss, and I lost track of time, consumed by the man I loved.

When we parted, I released him so I could rub at my eyes. “Fucking hell. I wasn’t expecting any of this.”

“Me neither. I had it all planned out, and then you came along, and everything changed.”

“Blame Jonas, not me.” If it hadn’t been for him, we wouldn’t be here right now.

“I do, don’t worry.”

We both laughed, and the heavy, emotional atmosphere lightened. I lifted my phone from my pocket and opened my notes app, angling it so he could see my screen. “Look. Just so you know, I was fully prepared to compromise. I had a whole plan for my shifts and putting money aside to get the train to see you. I wasn’t going to give up on us.”

Nate’s lip trembled as he read through the notes I’d stayed up half the night preparing. “You did all this for me?”

“Yeah.”

“Fuck, Charlie. Forme?”

“Yeah. You’re worth it,” I said. “I wasn’t gonna lose you without a fight.”

He kissed me again. “There was no fight necessary. Even if the transfer hadn’t worked out, we would have made it work. I want this just as much as you, and I’m not letting you go. You’re mine, and I’m yours. You mean everything to me.”

“Come here.” I wrapped my arms around him again, feeling his heart pounding just as hard as mine. He sighed into my hair, pulling me more tightly against him, holding me like he never wanted to let me go.

Eventually, though, we had to drag ourselves away from each other. Nate crouched down next to the pinball machine, shielding his body from my gaze before he straightened up again.“I got you something. Close your eyes and hold out your hands.”

“This better not be a trick,” I warned, but I did as he said, letting my eyes fall closed and holding out my cupped hands.

Something cool and solid and heavy was carefully placed into my palms.

“Open your eyes,” Nate breathed.

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