love her.”
His gaze snapped to mine, everything stilling.
“So much makes sense now that I have her. You hear men say they want to be a better man because of love. They say they’ve found purpose. She’s become my whole world, Theo. I could mark my life by who I was before and after her.”
Theo set down the weights and turned to face me, casually leaning against the wall to mask his shock. “You’ve never felt like this. You’ve never even entertained the idea.”
“It’s because of her. No one has ever compared. I am devoted. That’s the only way I know to explain. I am devoted to her completely, with everything I am. All I want in the entire world is to love her. To protect her. The thought of her pain guts me, Theo. All I want is her happiness, and if I don’t have that, I’ve failed.”
“Have you told her?”
“I haven’t. Not yet. I…” I shook my head, collecting myself. “I’m afraid she won’t take me seriously. She trusts me but not when it comes to how I feel. She thinks I can’t be serious. She doesn’t realize I’ve never been so fucking serious.”
He nodded, a ghost of a smile on his face. “I’m happy for you, Tommy. And I don’t think you should be afraid to tell her.”
I scoffed. “Easy for you to say. She shot me down the first time I tried to tell her I wanted her. How will this be any different?”
“Because she trusts you,” he said simply. “One of your best qualities? Loyalty. It’s palpable, and your trust—once earned—is worth solid gold. Amelia knows that. And judging by the way she takes care of you, she loves you, too. You’ll tell her when the time is right. But when that time comes, don’t hesitate. She’s not gonna laugh. She’s not gonna reject you. She won’t hurt you, Tommy.”
My ribs expanded with a breath so deep it was almost painful. “I hope you’re right,” I said with a shake of my head.
At that, he laughed. “When the fuck am I ever wrong?”
“Oh, so now you’re psychic?” I joked.
He pushed off the wall, leaning in to say, “Nah. Just smarter than you.”
And that was a bigger comfort to me than he could have known. Because he was right about that, too, the bastard.
❖
Amelia
“I cannot actually believe you put a dick in your mouth.”
Val leaned over her bathroom counter and pressed the lipstick to her lips.
“My jaw still hurts, and it’s been twenty-four hours,” I said on a laugh, wishing I were kidding. “There’s a price to pay for enthusiasm, I guess.”
“Worth it?” Rin asked.
“So worth it.” The smile on my face was dreamy. My cheeks were as rosy as the red scarf in my hair. I wore it as a headband, twisted up and knotted on top.
We were all decked out for the club—Val in her favorite red dress, Rin in a black cap-sleeved crop top and high-waisted emerald skater skirt, Katherine in a topaz shirtdress, and me in black pedal pushers and a red polka-dot tailored shirt, cuffed at the elbows and knotted at the waist. The victory rolls were glorious, the hot pants flashing, and the lips were red, red, red.
“Honestly, though,” I started, inspecting my reflection, “I’m kinda bummed he pulled out.”
Rin smirked at me. “That’s just because you don’t know what he saved you from.”
“Seriously,” Val agreed. “As long as he’s held off, if he’d blown in your mouth, jizz probably would have shot out of your nose.”
I sputtered a laugh, my face hot and cheeks high.
“Definitely would have put a damper on the mood,” Katherine said with a nod.
“God, you guys act like we don’t fool around every night.”
Katherine gave me a look in the mirror. “A hand job in his underwear isn’t the same as giving him head.”
I gave her a look right back. “No shit, Sherlock.”
Val turned around, her face eager as she leaned on the counter. “Think you’re gonna have sex soon?”
My smile was small, my eyes shifting to my hands. “I…I hope so. I was thinking maybe tonight.”
Squealing and clapping sounded from the peanut gallery. Well, except Katherine, but she was smirking, which was basically the same thing.
“Do you think you’re ready?” Rin asked.
“Is anyone ever really ready in the sense that they’re prepared?” I asked back.
“I don’t think there’s any way you could be prepared for a dick that big,” Val noted.
“I mean, what if it’s not even that big? It’s the only dick I’ve ever