Page 62 of Catch
“I want you to, Lox. I want all of it.”
“Then I’ll go,” I said simply.
“My brothers are going to be there,” he said, after a beat. “And Jesse—my brother’s girlfriend—and her son, Max. Jesse’s actually a big fan of yours. But I trust them. Your secret’s safe.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I whispered. “Like you said... something’s supposed to happen Monday.”
“I can still keep you hidden, if that’s what you want,” he offered. “I can promise you that much.”
I stood and moved around to face him, straddling his lap and cupping his jaw in my hands. I tilted his face toward mine until we were eye to eye.
“I’m not scared anymore,” I said. “I wanna take control, because I don’t wanna give Sam, or anyone else, the satisfactionof spinning some story about poor Loxley. So whatever happens from here on out, it’s okay, I promise.”
His smile was quiet but certain, and he kissed me like we’d just swapped promise rings or something. When he pulled back, he stood, lifting me with him, and I knew where we were headed.
Miles loved fucking me in the shower, and even though we skipped dinner, being tangled up with him for the rest of the night was all I really needed.
Chapter Thirty-Three
MILES
The growlof my stomach woke me up way too early for a Saturday morning. But I didn’t mind. The sun was out, the house was quiet, and I had a whole day ahead of me to spend with Loxley.
I turned my head and whispered into her hair. “Lox…” I dragged my fingers lightly down her arm, trying to coax her awake. “Wanna go fishing today?”
She let out a low groan and rolled away from me, “Nooo…”
“Get back here.” I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in closer. “Unless you’ve got a better idea for how we should spend a perfect Saturday.”
She mumbled something unintelligible, then, “I could eat ice cream and watch movies all day…”
“Any new hobbies you’ve been dying to try?”
Still mostly asleep, she ran her fingers across my chest and found the yarn necklace I hadn’t taken off since she made it. She tugged on it lazily. “I could make more of these. I’ll teach you how to make one, too. We’ll start a business and call itMiles of Yarn.”
I barked out a laugh, which made her crack one eye open and smile like she’d been waiting to deliver the punchline.
“Miles of Yarn?” I repeated, still laughing.
She giggled. “Loxley’s Looms doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.”
“It’s catchy,” I admitted. “But if we’re starting this business together, shouldn’t the name includebothof us?”
“Milox?” she offered. “Sounds like something you take when your stomach hurts.”
“Side effects may include emotional whiplash, inappropriate use of yarn, and accidental domesticity.”
Her laugh once again made me feel like a king.
Just like that, our plan was set: movies and yarn. She pulled out a basket full of tangled rainbow skeins, turned on the TV, and taught me how to make a yarn chain. At one point, we decided to try a scarf. We streamed some tutorial videos and tried to follow along but she was right, that shit was impossible. We gave up somewhere around “slip stitch,” and went back to making necklaces instead.
It became a full-blown factory setup. We had snacks, a growing pile of yarn necklaces on the coffee table, and three movies behind us. It was my turn to pick the fourth, which seemed fair considering we’d already watched two rom-coms and one horror flick that, frankly, made me scared to open the pantry.
“Let me guess,” Loxley teased, snuggling closer and pressing kisses along my jaw. “You’re gonna pick a cop movie.”
“A cop movie? Over the cinematic masterpiece that isEver After?” I scoffed. “I think the fuck not. You try to box me in, Loxley Adams, but I will not be labeled.”
She laughed, eyes twinkling. “There aresomany things I’m learning about you, Mr. Officer Brooks.”
