Page 88 of Victorious: Part 2
We haven’t been together long enough.
My brother will actually murder him—slowly, painfully.
We’re in the middle of a dangerous situation with the club.
We’re both probably a little too drunk and definitely high on the weird magic of Vegas.
But then something shifts in his expression, and the moment he decides to stop thinking and start feeling, his eyes begin to sparkle back at me.
Maybe it’s the alcohol.
Maybe it’s the Elvis song that’s now moved on to “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
Or maybe it’s just that sometimes the heart knows what it wants even when the brain is too drunk to argue.
“Fuck it,” he says, pulling me up abruptly, and I sway just slightly, the room spinning around us in soft, dizzy circles.
“Really?” I murmur, blinking up at him, barely able to keep up with the sudden shift from teasing to full-blown reckless magic.
“Really.” His hands frame my face with a gentleness that anchors me. There’s nothing clumsy about his touch. Just steady, warm, and achingly sure. “But I want to be clear about something, Clo. This isn’t just about the dare or the whiskey. This isn’t just about Vegas or the moment or any of that. If we do this, if we actually get married tonight, it’s because I love you. Because I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
My breath catches, and tears blur my vision all over again. But these aren’t uncertain tears. They’re everything. Hope. Relief. Love so deep it makes my chest ache.
“I love you too,” I whisper, the words falling out in a rush. “So much it scares me sometimes.”
“Good,” he murmurs, leaning in, his forehead resting against mine, our noses brushing. “Being scared means it matters.”
And then he slams his lips to mine.
The force sends my inebriated head into a spin.
Or maybe that’s just him.
God.
This kiss is intense. It’s not about lust or teasing or even urgency. It’s deep and consuming, a slow burn that ignites something in the center of my soul and spreads outward like the burning whiskey we’ve been drinking. His lips move against mine with a hunger that’s somehow reverent, like he’s memorizing me. My taste, my shape, the way I sigh when his thumb strokes along my jaw. His hands slide to the back of my neck, threading into my hair as he pulls me closer, grounding me in the middle of all this glorious chaos.
I kiss him back with everything I have.
Because this isn’t just a kiss.
It’s a vow.
It’s yes.
It’s an I’m in this, no matter what.
His mouth parts slightly, and the kiss deepens, slower now, like we’ve got forever to say everything we can’t find words for. Our bodies sway with the music in the background, Elvis crooning about always being on my mind, and it all feels like destiny, like we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.
When we finally break apart, I’m breathless, my heart pounding, my lips tingling, and I know without a doubt that I’ll never forget this moment for as long as I live.
Meadow lets out a shriek that jolts me back to the room. “This is happening. Cedar, they’re getting married. Tonight. Wehaveto help them plan. This is the most romantic thing I’ve everwitnessed.”
Cedar rises, steadying himself against the chair with a grin. “Well, I’ve seen a lot of things, but I’ve never been a witness to a dare-induced drunk Vegas wedding.”
“Is that a yes?” I ask, grabbing his arm for balance. “You’ll be our witnesses?”
“Are you kidding?” Cedar’s eyes are bright with excitement. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world. This is gonna be epic.”
