Page 107 of Hometown Touchdown
It’s a movie kiss. A heart-thudding, hair-grabbing, time-stopping kiss. His arms wrap around me and he surrenders to it. I pour every inch of feeling into it—every buried ache, every second chance, every bit of love I’ve been keeping just under the surface.
And the bar? It loses its mind.
Cheers erupt. Someone whoops. Ty yells something about finally, and Kinsey slams a bar spoon against the counter like a victory bell.
Knox’s hands are on my waist, his mouth smiling against mine, and when we finally break apart, breathless and grinning, he just looks at me like I hung the damn moon.
“Well,” he says, voice low and rough with affection, “that was new.”
I shrug. “She touched your shoulder. I blacked out.”
He laughs, tilting his head, brushing a knuckle over my cheek. “So, you’re possessive now?”
I arch a brow. “That surprises you?”
“Nope. Just turns me on.”
I smack his chest. “You’re impossible.”
He leans in. “You love me anyway.”
“You’re right, I do.”
His eyes soften. “I love you too, Brynn.”
And right there in the middle of Gordy’s, with the whole town watching and music playing and Debbie slinking off in defeat, I know—This? Us? It’s exactly where I’m meant to be and I don’t care who knows.
Chapter fifty-two
Knox
Brynn’sstillinmyarms, cheeks flushed, lips kiss-bruised, and I swear to God I’ve never been happier in my entire life.
I blink, trying to replay what just happened because I’m not entirely convinced I didn’t hallucinate it. One minute I was dodging a walking glitter bomb in red boots, and the next, my girl was going full small-town alpha female in front of everyone at Gordy’s.
Declaring I’m hers.
Kissing me like it’s our damn wedding day.
Telling off Debbie Carmichael is a moment I’m going to be thinking about foryears.
Listen, Debbie. Deborah.
God, I love her.
The music shifts again—another slow one, easy and low, with enough swing to make the couples start pairing off. Someone dimmed the lights even more. It’s cozy now. Warm. The beer signs glow softer. The twinkle lights twinkle harder.
“Dance with me,” Brynn says, still breathless.
I give her a mock-serious look. “Are you sure? I haven't exactly turned Debbie down yet…”
Her eyes narrow with a smile. “Knox.”
I press a hand to her lower back. “Let’s dance, baby.”
We head toward the clear space near the tiny live music setup where a few couples are already swaying. Cam’s spinning Kate around dramatically in a circle. Kinsey’s back behind the bar pretending to polish glasses but clearly watching us. Levi and Ty are locked in a very intense rock-paper-scissors match.
I pull Brynn close, one hand sliding to her waist, the other catching hers.
