Page 87 of Overtime Goal
“I’ll help in any way I can, including keeping my mouth shut when that’s what you need. Just let me know.”
He nodded, his eyes glistening again. “Thank you. And I know I keep saying it, but I love you, Logan. I’m so glad I came to my senses, because you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
I pulled him in for a hug. “Say it as much as you want because I’ll never get tired of hearing it. And I love you too.”
We clung to each other beneath the stars. Eventually, he leaned back, wiped his eyes, and gave me a crooked smile. “Why don’t we finish that wine and head to bed?”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “I need you inside me all night long.”
34/
riley
A few days later,the morning drifted on, and we still hadn’t moved. Our breakfast plates sat empty on the terrace table while a breeze carried off the last crumbs of cornettos and sfogliatellas. Logan sat across from me, shirtless, with his legs stretched long under the table. He was reading, chuckling quietly now and then, but turning the pages slowly, as if the sound of paper might disturb the peace. I’d sprawled out too, phone in hand, scrolling through emails. Some were worth answering, but I was too lazy to type and too content to care. It was hard to believe it was July already, and our last day in Italy. Tomorrow we’d be on a plane out of Naples, back to the real world. Bittersweet didn’t begin to cover it, but instead of being nervous, I was calm.
Positano had burned away the noise in my head and warmed something deep inside me. When we arrived, I’d been trying to make sense of what was happening with Logan and how I felt about it. For weeks before that, I’d tried not to think about him too much, but that had been an epic fail.
Our time in Italy had changed everything. Logan and I were together now, and I knew exactly what this was and who I wanted. Still, I couldn’t stop looking at him, half afraid I’d blinkand discover I’d imagined the whole thing. Every glimpse of him made my heart race. I loved him so much the old me would have panicked and bolted, but now it just felt right.
Leaning back, I enjoyed the view and tried to memorize the smell of the salt air and lemon trees. I’d miss all this. We’d taken pictures of the view, but they’d never do it justice. For a moment, I wished I was a painter. I’d set up an easel and create the most gorgeous painting ever: Logan almost naked, with Positano and the sapphire sea in the background.
“You’re quiet.” Logan hadn’t moved from his relaxed sprawl, but the corners of his mouth had curved upward.
“I’m thinking,” I said.
He snorted. “Dangerous.”
“You may be right.” I set my phone on the table and sighed. “This trip has gone by so fast. It’s like we turned around a few times, and now it’s time to go home.”
He closed his book and took off his sunglasses. “I feel exactly the same way.”
“It’s not…” His eyes seemed brighter than the sky, and his windblown hair called out to me, making me want to run my fingers through it. This incomparable man had my heart pounding like timpani, and I had to wait for it to settle down before I could speak. “This trip has given me so much more than I expected.”
He tilted his head. “How so?”
I gave him a little smirk. “Well, the best sex of my life, for one thing. It’s given me you, and the peace I needed to figure things out without so much pressure.”
“You have it all worked out, then?”
“I do. I’m definitely bi, and I’m proud of finally getting that straight.” I let out a breath, and grinned. “And I’m falling harder for you every damn day.”
He returned my smile. “Ditto on falling harder every day. I’m crazy about you, Riles, and I’m glad you feel good about who you are.”
“Me too. I always knew something wasn’t right, that I didn’t quite know myself. I spent so long in denial, chasing every skirt in sight, trying to live up to some big image. Womanizing was something solid I could grab when the rest of my life was out of control. Somewhere along the way, I started confusing it with who I was. When I fell for you, ‘best friend’ was the only label I had. It’s weird because I’ve known bi guys since I was in high school, but I didn’t know a damn thing about bisexuality.”
“It makes sense, especially considering what you went through growing up. You were probably grabbing on to anything you could, trying to find stability.” He paused and spent a moment looking at me, as if he might have to draw me from memory. “How are you going to deal with women back in Buffalo? I don’t mean that in a bad way, but since dating has always been such a big part of you, I can’t help wondering.”
I almost cracked a joke, my default move when things got heavy, but thank God I didn’t. This was important, and he had every right to ask how I’d handle things. “I’m not confused anymore,” I said. “I know how I feel about you and us. I’m still attracted to women, but?—”
“You always will be.”
“Yes, just like you’ll always be attracted to men. But that isn’t the point. Love isn’t about all the people out there we find attractive. It’s about who wechoose.And I chooseyou, Logan. You make me feel like the most special person who’s ever lived. You’re the one I trust with everything. We have a lot of fun together, and the sex is mind-blowing, but we’re more than that. We fit. You’re all I need, and I’ll never betray that.Never.”
His eyes went glassy, and he reached for my hand. “Thank you for saying all that. Nobody has ever made me feel the way you do either. You’re it for me. I don’t ever want anyone else.”
We held hands and stared into each other’s eyes, and I wished we’d never have to get up again. No sooner had I thought that than my phone buzzed. After a long sigh, I picked it up and squinted at the screen.
