Page 86 of Whisper Of Attraction (Whisper Lake 3)

Trying to seem as nonchalant as possible, she turned. “Oh, hi Axel. I was just, I came outside to, um, get some air and the door locked behind me.” She wiggled the knob.

His intense stare pinned her in place as he asked, “Did you hear all that?”

She thought about lying, but knew that if the roles were reversed she’d want Axel to be honest with her. Her shoulders slumped. “Yes, I did. And so did Jess and Ali.”

Axel looked around.

“They went inside after your mom left. They locked me out.”

His brow creased and she figured she should start from the beginning.

“Izzy told us about your mom. She was really upset so once we calmed her down, she asked me to find you to see what was going on. I didn’t want to intrude, but Jess dragged me, literally, out here. I tried to go back inside but she pretended that the door was locked. Which, obviously, it wasn’t. So, yes, to answer your question, I heard all that. Or, I don’t know about all but I heard a lot.”

He took a step toward her. “You heard how I feel about you?”

Brynn had to tip her head up to maintain eye contact with him. And she was suddenly finding it very difficult to breathe. “Yes.”

He looked like he was going to say more, but didn’t. He took a step back instead and looked down at the ground between them. “You don’t have to worry about me being around. I know that you don’t feel the same but—”

“No,” she cut him off. “I do.”

He lifted his head. “You do have to worry about me being around?”

“No. I don’t,” She shook her head. This was coming out all wrong. “I want you to stay. You and Izzy both. I realized that part of the reason I haven’t come to talk to you was because I was scared to lose you all over again when you left. I do feel the same way as you. I love you, Axel. You are everything I’ve ever wanted and more. I’ve missed you so much and I’ve been miserable without—”

He interrupted her with a soul-claiming kiss and she melted into his arms as he hugged her tightly. In the short time they’d been apart, she’d forgotten just how good he hugged and kissed.

“I love you. I love you. I love you.” Axel rasped over and over again between kisses.

He backed her up against the door, and pinned her there until the door flew open, causing them to break apart.

“I get to stay?” Izzy cried out.

“Yes.” Axel nodded.

The teen jumped up and down and Brynn saw that Jess was behind her. She mouthed, I’m sorry.

I’m not, Brynn mouthed back.

She wasn’t sorry for any of it, because it all led her here. To the man she loved and who loved her back in a way that she didn’t even think existed in the real world.

But it did. And she had it. And if it were up to her, she was never going to let it go.

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