Page 51 of Two Is Better Than One

The peppermint caplet dissolved and I tasted a rush of mint that instantly coated my whole mouth. I breathed in, tasting and feeling the coolness.

I heard two taps on my door before it opened. I stared at the door with furrowed eyebrows because I wasn't expecting Allie to come back right away, and I definitely didn't want to talk to Brooks yet.

It was Allie, and I couldn't help but notice her wide-eyed stare.

"What?" I said, sitting up and fearing that something was wrong.

She closed the door and began crossing to me, but she did not take the stunned look off of her face. She licked her lips dazedly like she was about to say something but she couldn't get the words to come out.

"What Allie?" I asked in a hurried whisper.

"He's here. Your… Casey's here. He's out there. He wasn't here when I came in here, and just now when I went back out… he's here. Casey Morgan is out there, I promise."

I had already sprung out of bed, and I sat on the edge of it as she finished the words.

"Casey Morgan?" I asked, feeling desperate for her to confirm it.

"Yes."

I stared at my sister, tears instantly springing to my eyes. "Look at me and tell me, right now, Alice, that you are not joking," I said. "Because Casey is supposed to be in London and there's no way to get in touch with him. So, if you're trying to mess with me or—"

"I promise. Casey is out there."

"What does he want?"

"I don't know. I guess to talk to you. I'm sure that's why Brooks knocked on your door."

"You're talking like you're not sure."

"Because I'm not sure. I saw him talking to Brooks, and then I waved at him and came back in here to tell you. I didn't talk to him."

"Allie, can you do me a big favor?"

"Yes."

"Can you go back out there and ask Casey to come in here? I don't want to catch up with him in front of Brooks—especially now that Brooks has that video on his mind. I'm not trying to deal with that right now. Can you please just ask Casey to come in here?"

Allie still had a wide-eyed expression when she nodded and headed back into the living room. I had a seating area with a couch in my room, and I walked over to it and sat on the edge of the couch. It was dark in the room, and I quickly stood and lunged to the side and opened the drapes a few feet, letting light stream into the room.

My eyes were sensitive from sleeping and the sudden tears, and I squinted and closed it a little to reach a happy medium with the light. I quickly made my way back to the couch and flopped onto it just in time to hear Casey knock on my door before cracking it open.

"Summer?"

"Yeah, Casey, come in," I said, feeling like I could hardly get the words out.

I could hardly breathe.

I saw him peek his head around my door. He stepped inside and turned to close the door behind him.

It was Casey.

I thought I would sit on the couch and let him walk over to me like a normal person, but I could not do it once I saw his big, muscular frame step into my room. I sprang from the couch and ran to him. It was uncontrollable—as if there was a force between us that literally drew my body to his.

I needed Casey Morgan like I needed air to breathe, and I could tell by the way his face changed to a smile when he saw me coming that he was going to accept me when I made it to him.

I was wearing pajamas with socks, and I bounded across the room to him, landing in his arms, giving him no choice but to catch me, spinning on impact. I kissed him. I didn't plan on doing that, but my lips went to his right away. I began kissing him before I even said a single word to him. We were only a few feet from my door, and I held his face, letting my mouth touch his over and over.

He moved, advancing on me, pressing me against the nearby wall. His touch was gentle, but he used the wall for leverage, holding me there, coming to stand so close to me that his body propped against mine. He continued to kiss me lightly as he stood in front of me, and neither of us said a word for what must've been two or three minutes. We smiled and paused, but then we would kiss each other again and again.

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