Kiss Me Forever - M.J. O'Shea Page 0,62

come back. Maybe that day would never come.

“You will?”

Tyson looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Of course. I don’t want anything to do with it anymore. You were terrified here. Clara tried to shoot you. I never want to come here again.”

“I guess that’s a good reason.”

Tyson crossed the room and sank down on the pale couch next to Avery. “Avery, I love you. I... have completely fallen in love with you. I don’t want to be anywhere that you weren’t happy.”

Avery hadn’t expected that. At all. “But—”

“No, listen. I have to get this out, and then we can talk about whatever you want. I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve ever been as sorry for anything in my life, and that’s a long time.” He smiled ironically. “I got scared, and it was stupid of me, but if you’ll have me back, if you’ll even think about it, I’ll make it up to you. I won’t push you away again.”

It was sudden. Really sudden. And after the past few days he’d had, Avery wasn’t sure how to handle it.

“I don’t know what to say.”

Tyson cupped his face and looked at him like he was the most precious thing in the world. “I want to be with you, for your lifetime, for longer, however long you’ll have me. I can’t go back in time and undo my mistake, but I would if I could.”

“I’ve just learned to deal with the immortality. And the vampires. I think time travel would be taking it over the top.” He smiled.

“Just... think about it. Please. That’s all I can ask.”

Avery nodded. “I’ll think about it.” He took a deep breath. “And I love you too.”

Avery had never ridden in a private jet. Once, he’d been able to upgrade to first class when he’d flown to Boston for a lecture, but that was nothing compared to this. Needless to say, he really liked it. They settled in their seats with champagne and a blanket. It was quiet, perfect. Avery almost didn’t know what to think of the lack of babies crying and people trying to shove luggage into overhead bins.

“I could get used to this,” Avery muttered. “It’s nothing like getting elbowed by the six-foot linebacker types who always manage to sit next to me on regular flights.”

Tyson chuckled. “I guess I’d be that guy if we were on a normal plane.”

“But we’re not. How long is this flight?”

“About ten hours, but then we still have to get home from Atlanta. You can take a nap on this flight.”

Tyson had been so warm, so attentive. It was like since he’d made his decision that Avery was what he wanted the most that he’d changed somehow. It was something else Avery could get used to. He was worried that he’d get moody, distant Tyson back sometime in the future, but for now?

“Hey.”

“Mmm-hmm?”

“So you know how I said I had to think about what we were going to be?” Avery said.

“Yeah.” Tyson looked nervous.

“So—” Avery was cut off by the first officer announcing that the flight was about to take off. He buckled his seat belt and gave Tyson a look that said the conversation could be continued as soon as all the safety info and usual stuff was over.

By the time the plane was in the air on the way to Atlanta, he’d gotten himself all nervous. What if he’d been reading Tyson the wrong way? What if that wasn’t what he wanted? He remembered how Tyson had been with Clara in the past, and how he didn’t want anything to do with her. He could be the same. But then he remembered Macy telling him one time that he’d never know if he could be really happy if he never gave himself the chance to try. If he never tried, well, he’d never know, would he? He took a long deep breath and turned to Tyson.

“Okay. So I decided. At least I decided for me. Then you can tell me what you want.”

Tyson nodded.

“I want to be with you. This you for sure, not the hesitant, distant you from before. I want this Tyson.”

“I think I can do that.” Tyson smiled tentatively.

“Good. But it comes with a problem, and you know what that is.”

“I’m not aging.”

“Yes. I don’t even want to suggest it.”

“Hey. Maybe another day, okay?” Tyson said.

Avery frowned. He wasn’t going to jump into Tyson’s life completely. He was just... asking. He’d always wanted to know everything about a situation. He’d meant