Page 143 of Tell Me When It's Over

Following behind her to the kitchen, I place a hand on her lower back and drop my things down on the counter. “What do you say about winter break on the east coast?” I ask casually, pulling off my coat.

“The east coast?”

I nod.

“Like…this winter break?”

Chuckling, I nod again. “As in, the break that you’ve officially started since your grades have been posted. It’s cold and the weather is kind of crappy, but I think you’d like it. It’s a change of pace and, who knows—” The smile I give her is one of support, knowing she’s battling herself on th

e other offer her professor brought up. “Maybe you’ll like it there. Find a job interning at a huge corporation with people you look up to.”

Now she blinks, lips parting as she catches on to what I’m not-so-subtly laying down. She’s cute when she’s oblivious. “You want to go to New York?”

“Do you?”

“For winter break,” she reiterates slowly.

I shrug. For good. “At least for now. I’m serious, Lenny. If you want to consider Marica’s offer, then why not check out the place? My house isn’t too far from the city. The traffic isn’t that different from here. Besides the weather, it’s like you never left L.A.”

She lets out a tiny breath, stepping toward me and wrapping me up in a hug. Her arms squeeze my midsection as her cheek presses against my fast-beating heart. “You would do that for me?”

Chuckling, I wrap one arm around her shoulders and the other around the small of her back, pressing her against me. My lips rest against her hair. “Why would you go to school here even though people will talk? Will gossip and say shitty, catty things? Or encourage me to do a show or two around the country for my fans when Gordy brought up the offers the other day?”

I feel her take a deep breath. “Because I would do anything for you, Kyler. Support you no matter what.” When she moves away enough to look at me, my eyes instantly go to her parted lips, watching them form the words that do me in. “Because you’re worth it.”

As much as I want to dive in and absorb what it’s like to kiss her, taste her, and hear her against me, under me, everywhere, I finish the point I’m making. “That’s why I would go to New York with you. Whether it’s for winter break, or after you graduate. You were given an opportunity to live the life you’ve always talked about, Leighton. I’m not going to stand in the way of that. I’ll be right by your side.”

I step toward her, cup her face, and trail my thumb over her lips.

“You’re mine, Len. I’d go anywhere with you.”

Before she can say anything else, I dip down and kiss her softly, reeling when she kisses me back, opening her lips and coaxing my tongue with her own. She pulls back just far enough to whisper, “I always have been.”

I can’t help but grin, pecking her lips, her jaw, her cheek, before nipping her earlobe and smacking her ass as I lead her to the barstool. “I know. And believe me when I say I’m going to remind Mia that every time she tries convincing everyone that she’s you’re favorite.”

Rolling her eyes, she lets out a soft laugh before sitting down and watching me get out things for dinner. I’m no cook, but Leighton has taught me a few tricks of the trade like she always promised Beth she would, so at least what little I can make is edible. “So, New York?”

If this girl needs me to remind her how far I’m willing to go to make her happy, I’ll do it in a heartbeat, but I think the point is clear by now. “I’ll buy you some warmer clothes before we leave.”

When she tries to argue with me, I give her one single look before she sighs, relenting to the fact this is one argument she can’t win.

Because I take care of my own.

Of what’s mine.

And I think she’s finally getting that.

“Admit it,” I tease. “You love me.”

She pauses for only a fraction, leaning her elbow against the edge of the counter to prop her head up in her palm. “I do. But if I have to choose between you and Violet Wonders, it’ll be a tough call.”

“You little shit,” I laugh, lunging at her.

She squeals as I throw her over my shoulder and walk past my sister and Dylan in the living room who are playing with their son. Seeing them as a three-family unit makes me want to savor my time with Leighton as much as possible, because I know the day Len and I decide to start a family—if we decide to—then I’ll be splitting my love with everyone.

“Try to keep it down,” Mia calls as I take Leighton upstairs, grinning at us. She thinks she’s smug for getting us together, regardless of fate doing the bulk of the work. Not only does she call the script “magic” because of where it led us, but it got her the role. Her first venture into acting outside of reality TV.

I throw out, “I make no promises.”

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