Headlines (Prime Time #3) - Ella Frank Page 0,52

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“I can’t imagine being here on my own anymore, Sean. I can’t imagine being somewhere that you aren’t.”

I sighed, and when a piece of hair fell down across my forehead, Sean reached out to brush it aside.

“Then don’t leave.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t leave. Move in with me.” Sean’s words were sure and steady as a wide smile stretched across his face. “Not temporarily, not just out of your suitcase. Move in with me for good.”

27

Sean

THE JOY THAT lit Xander’s eyes made me feel like the richest man in the world. They all but twinkled as he stared at me with a look full of hope and…excitement.

“You’re serious?”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life.” Or crazy, apparently, because only a crazy-in-love fool would ask someone like Xander to give up this castle to come live in my two-bedroom disaster.

“I know it’s fast—supersonic, really. But when you know, you know, and Xander? There are three things I know without a doubt. One, I love you. Two, I don’t want to watch you pack your suitcase and leave unless I’m coming with you. And three, I don’t want to wait another however many years for us to take this to the next step. I want it now. I want you.”

Xander took in a shaky breath, and when he let it out, I took his face between my hands and kissed his lips.

“Tell me I’m not crazy here. That you feel the same way.”

Xander grinned. “If you’re crazy, then so am I.”

“Yeah?”

Xander nodded. “Yeah.”

“Oh my God.”

“I know.”

“Oh my fucking God.” I swiped my thumbs across his cheeks and blinked, making sure I wasn’t imagining this moment and the way he was looking at me like I’d just hung the moon. “You really mean it? You want to move in with me?”

Xander reached for my wrists and drew them down so he could take my hands in his. “I really do.”

“Wow.” I looked around the huge terrace at the massive windows that flanked the entire side of Xander’s ultra-expensive penthouse apartment, and then turned back to him. “Are you drunk?”

Xander let out a loud burst of laughter, and it was so free and full of happiness that I couldn’t help but join in. “No, I’m not drunk.”

“I mean, you just said you want to move in with me. That means leaving all of this behind.”

Xander looked around my shoulder, then back to me. “I know.”

“Uh, maybe you should sleep on it for the night.”

“Are you changing your mind already?”

“Hell no, but I’m not stupid, Xander. You’re used to a lot more than my place has to offer.”

“Do I seem worried about it?”

Surprisingly, no. He seemed incredibly chill about it. “No, you don’t.”

“Then why are you?”

Good question. But maybe it was because it felt like he was giving up everything and I was giving up nothing. Not that it would be a hardship to leave my place.

Which got me thinking… “What if we look for a place together?”

Xander’s brows rose. “You want to move?”

“Hadn’t really thought about it until right now. But, then again, I’d never really had a reason.”

“But you do now?”

“Yeah, I do. Plus, why should you have to give up everything and start over and I get to stay where I am? It’s not like I’m overly attached to the place. As you know, it hasn’t seen a fresh coat of paint in years.”

“That’s true.”

“Sooo, what do you think?” I couldn’t believe we were standing here on Xander’s terrace talking about getting a place together. It was insane, reckless, and totally out of character for the both of us.

“I think it sounds perfect.” Xander looped his arms around my neck and moved up to his toes. “Perfect.”

He kissed me.

“Crazy.”

He kissed me again.

“And exactly right for us.”

I closed my eyes and captured his mouth in a kiss I felt throughout my entire body. I slipped my tongue between his lips to tease and tangle with his, and the delicious taste that was all Xander flooded my senses.

When I finally released him, I took his hand in mine, more than ready to get out of here. “What do you say we head home, and I’ll give you your real birthday present there.”

Xander hummed, and the velvety sound made my entire body go on instant alert. “Well, look who has a one-track mind tonight.”

“I didn’t even say anything.”

“Don’t even try to deny it, anchorman. I know you want to unwrap me for your birthday.”

Xander looked me over, and the arousal in his eyes told me