Page 195 of The Hookup Situation
“How did we write the same thing?” she asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“How is this possible?” we ask simultaneously.
Her laugh breaks on a sob. She launches herself into my arms, straddling my lap on the bench like she can’t get close enough. I crush her against me, kissing her like I’ve been starving for this moment my whole life.
This kiss is everything. Every confession. Every broken wall. Every fear turned into certainty. She tastes like salt and sweetness and Julie, and I know in my bones that I don’t ever want to stop kissing her.
When we finally break apart, foreheads pressed together, both of us breathing hard, I whisper, “I love you, Jules.”
I frame her face in my hands, forcing her to see me, every raw piece of me.
“I love you too. In every way.” She smiles through her tears, a sound between a laugh and a sob spilling out of her. “Please say it again.”
“I love you.” I kiss her mouth. “I love you.” I kiss her cheek. “I love you.” I kiss the corners of her eyes, her nose, her chin. “Every season. Every day. Every second.”
Her hands fist in my vest, kissing me softer as the lights hum above us and the carved pumpkins flicker at our feet.
And I know with absolute certainty that this is the beginning of everything.
“Will you fly with me to New York today?” I ask, ready to beg.
Her eyes search mine, and she whispers the only answer I need. “Yes. I will.”
33
JULIE
The jet is more like a floating penthouse than a plane. Plush cream seats, a polished wood bar, and even a small bedroom is tucked in the back. I sink into buttery leather, buckling my belt as we taxi down the runway. I meet Nick’s eyes as he sits directly across from me.
He’s lounging like he owns the sky, one arm draped lazily over the armrest.
“What?” I narrow my eyes.
He leans forward, keeping his voice low. “I was just thinking about the things that are still unchecked on your list.”
My pulse skips. “Yeah?”
He licks his lips, gaze burning into mine as the plane lifts. “Are you in?”
“You know I am.” Heat creeps up my neck.
Nick smirks, knowing he’s pure trouble.
The second the seat belt light clicks off, he’s already out of his chair, kneeling in front of me. My breath catches as his hands slide up my thighs.
“You’re so damn pretty.”
I laugh, enjoying his hands on me. “Nick, what if the attendant?—”
“She’s been warned to give us privacy once we’re at cruising altitude. Private jet perks. Come with me.”
He stands and pulls me up with him. Nick’s mouth brushes mine, and it’s soft at first, and then he teases me. After a few seconds, the kiss deepens, his tongue sliding against mine. His hands grip my hips, guiding me against his hardness in his slacks. The low groan he lets out vibrates straight into me.
Eventually, the hum of the engines fades, and the mountains disappear beneath us. The whole world narrows to this moment.
He lifts me, strong arms sliding under my thighs, carrying me down the narrow aisle. My fingers fist his shirt, my lips clinging to his as he opens the bedroom door. I gasp as he lays me out across silk sheets, my back arching, my body already desperate.
