Page 59 of Against All Odds

I just wanted to make her smile and not have to worry about one more thing.

Violet’s alarm starts to beep, and she rolls away before sitting up. “We should get moving.”

Yeah, we should. “I need to get home anyway,” I say reluctantly. I really have to get my mother set up, but I’d much rather stay here with her lying next to me.

She gets up, pulling the sheet with her, and just watches me as I pull on my pants. “Everett?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we okay?”

I laugh once. “That’s supposed to be my line, Twinkle.”

For a second my heart stops. That came out way too easy. That nickname hasn’t been said in fifteen years, but she’s not just some girl I picked up in a bar. There’s a lot of history, and while that’s probably why we fell into each other’s arms so easily, it’s complicated as fuck.

Violet watches me, swallowing once before smiling. “Well, that makes me feel better.”

If there’s anyone in this situation who is going to end up hurt, it’s me.

As I lay awake, I kept thinking what a fucking idiot I was. She’s ... I don’t know, vulnerable? Her entire world has come down around her, and here I am, walking right into it.

Yes, we said no promises and all that, but come on. There’s always going to be feelings between people who loved each other once.

Plus, she’ll leave, go find whatever peace she is looking for, and I’ll be here. I can’t leave Ember Falls and we both know it. Even knowing this, I won’t resist her. I’ve wanted her for too long and one taste of her will never be enough.

“Come here, Vi.” I watch her walk around the bed before she’s in front of me, and she tilts her head back to meet my gaze. “Are you okay?”

Her lashes flutter, and she bobs her head slightly. “I am.”

“Truly?” I hook my finger under her chin, not allowing her to look away.

“I’ve never done this. I’ve never slept with someone I wasn’t in a relationship with, but at the same time, you’re different. You know? We were in love. I’ve kissed you before. I’ve been with you before. It’s not casual, but at the same time, it ... is?”

“I get what you mean. If you were just some girl, I would’ve bounced before the sun came up, but I didn’t want that.”

She laughs and then turns her head. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?”

“We sure are.”

Her eyes move back to mine. “I don’t know how to ... like I don’t want to say thank you, because it wasn’t like a service, you know?”

“No, it wasn’t. It was something much more than that.”

“But at the same time ... it’s not like we can say I’ll see you tonight or make plans, because we said no strings.”

I pull her close, my arms wrapping around her, wanting it to happen again, but I won’t push. “Shut up and kiss me goodbye.”

Her hands move up to my face, and our lips meet. It’s a soft, gentle kiss, not nearly like the lust-filled and frantic ones we shared all night.

I pull back and then lean in again to give her a peck. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay.”

I wink. “Okay.”

I grab my shirt, throwing it on, then my sweatshirt and shoes. I turn back, and Violet is still standing there, the sun now poking out more, and I know I’ll never forget how she looks right now.

She’s so beautiful with her brown hair falling around her face, framing her sleepy eyes and slightly swollen lips.

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