Page 72 of Pucking Tangled
Mia gasped. “Luca.” Her lip trembled and more tears threatened to fall.
How could he be so selfless when she knew just how much all of this was gutting him?
“Don’t cry, MiaMoo.” He brushed her tears away. “You promised you’ll come back to me. I’ll be waiting for you. Always. And when you’re ready? We’ll all be there for you, too.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Casey
Casey spent halfthe evening hiding and trying to calm the raging storm inside of him.
But when he walked in the kitchen, hell-bent on finding a bottle of something strong enough to numb the pain, he saw her.
In the soft glow of the stove light, Mia stood with a mug of what smelled like peppermint tea in her hands.
He stopped in the doorway and nearly turned right back around before she noticed him.
Because looking at her—barefoot, flushed, hair a little messy, and still wearing someone else’s sweatshirt—it felt like seeing a dream you could never quite reach.
She wasn’t just Mia anymore.
She was the girl everyone wanted.
The one they were all willing to bleed for.
She must have sensed him because she looked up and gave him a tiny smile.
“I know I said I didn’t want to be last, but I want you toknow Mia,it’s not about winning. It’s aboutyou.” He moved toward her and brushed her wild hair away from her face.
“It’s about wanting you so bad it hurts. About watching everyone else touch what I’ve loved for years and acting like I’m fine. Acting like I’m not crazy about you.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but he put a finger to her lips and shook his head.
“I don’t want to pretend I don’t have feelings for you anymore.”
“You don’t have to,” she whispered, setting down her tea.
Casey’s lips were on hers in a heartbeat.
She tasted like heaven and hell. Comfort and uncertainty.
For a moment she washis.
Maybe notjusthis.
But still the same girl he’d always known. The girl he always loved, deeper than he thought he could ever let himself love someone…until Owen came along.
He poured every ounce of his unspoken feelings into their kiss. Every frustrating twinge of jealousy. Every fantasy that Owen had dared him to dream.
He couldn’t lose her.
Wouldn’t.
Not now.
The air shifted around them. Then Casey felt a steady presence at his back.
Owen.
