Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
“How’d it go? With Cliff, I mean.”
“He apologized to me.”
I pull back, shock stretching my mouth open. “What? Cliff did?”
“Cliff did, and I’m sure you’ll have one coming your way, too. Apparently he went to group and got some perspective.”
The knot that’s been in my stomach since I landed yesterday slowly loosens. “He’s okay?”
“I think he’s stronger than you give him credit for.” Naz looks up at the stars, a small frown bending the thick line of his brows. “I think he’s stronger than he gives himself credit for, but yeah. He seemed to be in a better place. I told him that was good since he and I will probably be related someday.”
I go completely still in his arms, twisting to peer into his face with the light so dim.
“You said what?” I gasp, clutching a handful of his shirt reflexively.
“Oh, he was fine with it.”
“What about if I’m fine with it? Maybe I’m not convinced you love me.”
He lies back on the blanket, taking me with him and pulling me up until we’re chest to chest and our faces are centimeters apart.
“I have ways of persuading you,” he says, nibbling the line of my throat, his hand wandering up over the rise of my hip.
“Hmmm. I remember the last time we were up on this roof, all the persuading you did. Is that what I should expect?”
As he looks into my eyes, the laughter fades from his expression.
“You should expect that when the time is right,” he says, his voice sure and fervent. “I’ll ask you to marry me and refuse to settle for anything but yes.”
The teasing smile dies on my lips as emotion warms my heart.
“You should expect that I’m going to spoil you and take care of you and remind you every day that I may not deserve you, but I’m never letting you go.”
Tears gather at the corners of my eyes, and I let them fall.
“That night right here,” he says, looking around the rooftop, “should have been our beginning, but instead everything went wrong. Everything in my life went right, except that. Except you.”
And it changed everything, he’s right. If Cliff had shown restraint, not punched that coach—if he hadn’t let his resentment eat away at him, hadn’t turned to drugs…his life could have been exactly as he’d envisioned. I could have avoided an army of frogs before I found my prince. But in the time apart from Naz, I grew into myself. Learned to accept my preferences, my desires. I learned to listen to my body and trust my instincts. I learned what a good friend is. I learned the difference between a good man and a bad one. What I was willing to accept and what I couldn’t do without. Those years made me. They made Naz. Maybe the same forces that pushed us apart when we were so young, so untried, delivered me literally into Naz’s arms when he was ready for me and I was ready for him.
“You know,” I say, huddling deeper into him, “this was where I came to dream. It was the place where I felt closest to the stars. Where they felt brightest. It’s where we first kissed.” I pause to caress the strong planes of his face. “I used to think this rooftop held some kind of magic.”
“And now?” he asks, his lips quirking with a smile.
“Now,” I say, looking at the most beautiful boy who, despite all odds, became the love of my life and found his way back to me, “now I know it does.”
Epilogue
Takira
One Year Later
Not again.
Thump thump whoosh
Thump thump whoosh
The sounds float up from Naz’s basketball court outside of our bedroom window. He and Cliff have been at it for hours.
I’m seated on the edge of the bed—bathed, waxed, dolled up, and ready. I’ve been looking forward to this all day. All week, really, since I’ve been on set and have barely seen Naz. Little did I know that when he and Cliff made things right between them, it would be my own brother cock-blocking me. I love that he’s staying with us here in LA for a few weeks while interviewing for a coaching job at a prestigious private high school, but enough is enough.
“Wanna go for another?” Cliff’s shout climbs up through the open window.
I stomp over and lean out as far as I can go without falling or revealing how little I’m wearing.
“Hell no!” I yell, almost laughing when they both jump in surprise and glance up at me. “Game over. Find something to do for the rest of the night, Cliff. You had Naz long enough.”
“Ewwww.” Cliff slams the ball to the court and pretends to gag. “Don’t tell me this is sex-related, ’cause I don’t need to hear that shit about my little sister.”
“Then I won’t tell you.” I laugh, shifting my gaze to Naz, who is grinning like a Cheshire cat with a bowl of cream. “But Naz has to come inside now. You two can play tomorrow.”