Page 43 of Talk About… Secrets
“Hey, did you come to say goodbye?”
“Actually, I wanted to see if you wanted company for the long ride back. I can hire a car service to bring yours back so we can ride together?”
God, I sounded like such a dork.
I didn’t dwell on it because the hope in her eyes was enough for me to know I was being just the right amount of extra.
“Actually, that would be amazing. The drive was torture and honestly I’m a hot mess today,” she admitted, her shoulders sagging a bit before digging into her little pink purse and handing over her keys. “Just give me a few.”
I nodded, walking around the truck to give them another moment while I called up the guys I’d spoken to. They were already on their way and I hurried inside to leave the keys at the front desk.
When I made it back out, Grace was sniffling as they buckled her into the front of my truck.
“Take care of her,” Beck warned me as he looked over, eyes not quite hostile, but full of authority.
“With my life,” I said easily. Now that I’d scented her, saw her again, I knew I’d never let anything happen to her.
It was the exact reason I was driving her back.
“We’ll call you when we land,” Spencer promised as they each gave her a kiss and closed the door.
I turned the key in the ignition and buckled in, giving her a moment to breathe before pulling away.
Her sniffles grew stronger and I couldn’t do nothing, so I offered her my hand. She didn’t hesitate to slip it into mine.
“You’re not angry I’m crying over other men?”
I shook my head. “You’re crying over our pack, Gracie.”
She let out a watery laugh. “I haven’t heard that in a long time.”
The mood grew somber again, tension rising between us and I worried she’d pull her hand away.
“I’m sorry I didn’t follow you out of Rockwood Valley.” Her voice was so quiet and the words unexpected it took me a second to respond.
“Gracie, I think we both have to take a hard look at that dynamic. I loved you and I never stopped, but I don’t think either one of us was willing to compromise and that tells you that it wasn’t the right timing. I needed to leave, to have my career. Now, I’m more than ready to spend my life getting to know you all over again and finding new things I love about you.”
Her voice wavered again as she answered. “What was your plan before seeing me again?”
“Finding you,” I admitted, not wanting to hide it. “I knew your sister, knew you’d be there, and I needed to see you. Finding out we were actually scent matched didn’t change my intentions of seeing if there was still a spark between us.”
Her breath caught. “Really?”
I pulled over on the side of the long road, putting my truck in park and turning her way.
“My time playing football was amazing, but I’ve been alone a long time, Gracie. I’ve wanted nothing more than to turn around and drive home for years. Now that I’m here, nothing could take me away.”
I put every ounce of conviction I could into my tone.
“You’ve always been my end game, Gracie, even when I didn’t realize it myself. Those first years away from you were hard. I buried myself in workout routines and games. I’ve lived that life and honestly, I wouldn’t go back if I could.”
Now she was crying again, her fingers frantically yanking at her seatbelt as I hurriedly pulled over. Just as I threw it in park, she was free. Then she was crawling into my lap, her cheek nuzzling against mine, scent marking me. My alpha roared inside me, a purr rumbling out for his sweet omega, and everyinstinct I had was riding on me to prove to her that I was never walking away again.
Then she was blinking up at me with those gorgeous baby blues and I couldn’t hold back. My lips slanted over hers and she met me with the same hunger, years of pain and frustration coming out in a kiss that was as bruising as it was healing.
She tasted so sweet, smelled so fucking perfect. My cock was painfully hard but I ignored it, my fingers squeezing her hips gently as I teased my tongue into her mouth.
Gracie always thought she was timid and sweet, but I knew better. I’d seen her fire plenty of times, so this whole event was no surprise. Now, kissing me and telling me without words how much she needed me to stay, I saw it again.
