Page 59 of Whiskey Promises
I really hope Jareth looks like him in thirty years becausedamn.
"Hey, sweetheart," Carter calls to me.
"Hi, Mr. Grayson."
Carter immediately narrows his eyes on me. "What'd I tell you about that?"
"Sorry," I mumble, blushing. "Forgot."
He grins at me, winking.
Jareth and I spent part of Christmas with his parents and siblings. I love his mom so much. And Jareth is just like his dad. They made me feel like part of the family. I'm going to miss them when we leave. Honestly, I'm going to miss everyone here. His whole family is loud, rambunctious, and a little crazy, but they're so damn nice. His cousins are wild. His uncles are hilarious. And his mom and aunt are my new role models in life.
"Hey, princess." Jareth strides toward me, leaving his dad, his brother, and Ridley to finish their conversation. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes. Did you mean it this morning? Do you really want me to move in?" I ask before I lose my nerve.
His expression softens further as he reaches out to cup my cheek. "Yeah, baby, I meant it."
"Then I accept. I'll move in with you."
"Yeah?" His eyes light up with hope.
"Yes."
"Fuck," he growls, pulling me into his arms. His lips come down on mine in a drugging kiss that sets me on fire.
I pull back from it, dazed. "You didn't let me finish."
"Knock yourself out then," he says, grinning at me.
I open my mouth, but I'm not sure where to start. So I start with the obvious. "I love you."
"Christ," he groans, pulling me even closer. "You going to say that to me while I'm inside you tonight?"
"Jareth! Your dad is right there."
"He's too busy listening to Bastian complain to hear a word we're saying. Answer the question."
"Maybe."
The heat in his eyes scorches me.
"I'm sorry for being a mess and taking so long to say it."
"Don't."
My brows furrow.
"Don't apologize to me for being who you are, Zoya. I fucking love you exactly how you are." He presses his forehead to mine. "I'd have waited a lifetime if that's how long it took you to decide you were ready."
"I don't want to be the thing that breaks us," I admit softly. "I don't want my fears to be the thing that pushes you away. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I know I don't want to lose you. I just want…you."
"You have me, baby."
"I know. But you asked what I was afraid of this morning, and I want to tell you." I expel a breath when he nods for me to continue. "I'm afraid that I'm going to fuck everything up and lose you. I'm afraid to trust myself. I've never been good at that, Jareth. I didn't want love, so I never learned to listen to my heart. Now, it's screaming at me and I'm just…terrified that I'm going to do it all wrong. I'm afraid you'll get tired of chasingme, and you'll walk away. And I'm really afraid that I'm going to crack once I leave."
"Zoya," he says softly.
