Page 79 of Did It Have To Be Gnomes?!
He barked out a laugh and pressed a peck to my lips, smiling away. “No, you goof. For bonding with Sola.”
“Ohhhhh. That makes so much more sense. I didn’t think you’d be all pompous and douchey after you kissed me.”
He snorted. “Nope. If anything, I should be thanking you. I’ve wanted to kiss you since I was fourteen years old.”
My eyes widened, and I laughed. “What? No, you didn’t.”
“I did so. I had the biggest crush on you in high school.”
My jaw dropped. “But… but I had a huge crush on you in high school.”
His eyes widened for a brief second before he let out a whoosh of breath, snorted, and leaned forward to rest his forehead on my shoulder, shaking his head. “Oh my god. Are you telling me we could’ve been together this whole time? God, I’m an idiot. I wish I could go back in time and tell myself to ask you out.”
That was a lot to take in, but the way he said it, it sounded like he thought we’d still be together now if we’d started dating back then. And that was… well, that was the sweetest damn thing I’d ever heard.
“Does that mean you really want to date me?”
He lifted his head with a confused expression. “What do you mean? I asked you out earlier.”
“No, I know. It’s just… I wasn’t sure if this was more of a hook-up type of thing or a real dating type of thing.”
He brushed his fingers through my hair—he seemed to really like doing that, and I was coming to love it—staring me in the eyes as his hand landed on the side of my neck, thumb brushing my cheek. “Sweetheart, I’m not looking for a hook-up. I’mhoping to convince you to date me for a very, very long time. I’m hoping to call you my boyfriend one day, and maybe even more.”
My eyes widened, and fear lanced through my heart. Boyfriend?And more? What the hell? Did that… did that mean he wanted to marry me one day?
He huffed. “Sugar butt, I’m not proposing, okay? I’m sorry. That was a little more intense than I meant it to be. But I’m hoping you’ll date me with the intention of more. Is that clear enough for you?”
I opened and closed my mouth a few times before finally settling on a nod. Words evaded me for the time being. No one had ever stuck with me for more than a few months, and he was already talking about us being together for the rest of our lives?
We’d have to see if he felt the same in a few months’ time.
“Are you okay with that?”
I nodded again. “Y-yeah, but…” I cleared my throat. “The sugar-butt thing needs to stop.”
He laughed and kissed my lips again, then pulled me into a big bear hug. Closing my eyes, I let myself sink into his arms, pushing all my fears and doubts aside, loving the warmth and comfort of a simple hug.
Simple hugs weren’t something I’d ever had in my life, and I wasn’t sure Winter knew how much I appreciated it.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Winter
My god, Miles was so charming in his own way and absolutely adorable. That kiss had lit something up inside of me. It had blown me away, made my belly flutter with excited butterflies, made my entire body come alive. It had made electricity spark across my skin while fireworks exploded around us.
It had been the best damn kiss of my life, and I couldn’t wait to do it again.
But hugging him like this was just as good. Having him in my arms felt right in a way I hadn’t expected. Other people that I’ddated in the past had never brought so much warmth to my chest when I’d hugged them, kissed them, or even touched their cheek or hair or anything.
But Miles was different. So different.
I couldn’t seem to keep my hands off him.
Part of it was because I could tell how much he needed it, that he didn’t have anyone else in his life and he needed the comfort. But a big part of it—most of it—was becauseIneeded it too. Comforting him was healing the scars on my heart from all of the people who’d turned their backs on me in my life. Comforting him warmed my soul. Seeing his face soften, seeing him smile, was all such a huge reward that healed me as much as it healed him.
“Maybe firebirds really do bring good luck,” Miles murmured, and I wasn’t sure I was supposed to actually hear that or not, but I couldn’t help but ask.
“Why?”
