I Choose All of You

Chapter Thirty-Seven

My eyes fluttered shut. Jeremiah's hand trailed to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. The initial shock of his kiss washed over me, and I accepted his lips against mine. They moved in perfect sync with one another. His lips were soft and the kiss was tender.

My thoughts went completely blank, and the only thing that was going through my mind, was where the hell do I put my hands?

As if Jeremiah read my mind, he used his other hand to guide mine onto his chest, and I brought my other hand to his jaw.

He pulled away. His forehead against mine and his breathing, left my lips tingling under his breath.

I looked up at him from beneath my eyelashes and saw he was smiling. I smiled too and he stepped back.

Jeremiah's eyes were bright, "You're beautiful."

I laughed in reply. Did that just really happen?

"I'll be right back," Jeremiah's eyes widened, raising a finger to me, "Stay here. I'll be just a minute!"

"Jeremiah! Where are you going," I called.

He only laughed and continued racing down the hallway.

I placed a hand to my forehead and leaned against the wall. What the fuck.

I walked in the opposite direction Jeremiah just went. I need to move or I'm going to pass out. There was a stupid wide grin on my face, I couldn't shake. I just had my first kiss.

I had made it to the end of the hall and was about to round the corner, when a strong hand yanked me with it. I nearly tripped and yelped aloud in surprise. A guard was standing in front of me. He quickly placed a hand over my mouth, when I jumped.

"Shh! Sarah! Jeez. Are you trying to get me caught," the guard whisper-shouted.

I pulled the hand off my mouth and began to fuss at him, but the words got lodged in my throat.

I gasped in disbelief, "Leo?"

Leo smirked and gestured to himself, "In the flesh. You look pretty good yourself, Hart."

"Oh my god. LEO!"

I practically jumped into his arms and wrapped myself around his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist tightly, and swayed me side to side.

His arms were stronger. I could tell. He must have been working out religiously since I've last seen him. It's probably Atlas's doing.

He let me down slowly. God, I've missed him. It didn't hit me until now. Leo's cheeky smile. His goofy glasses and familiar aura. He's filled out the guard uniform pretty well too. He looked good. Happy. Healthy.

"Good news," Leo smiled, "Atlas is here too."

"What?"

"He thought it would be good practice to see if we could sneak in as guards and it worked! He's currently stationed outside the doors, where the Queen in having her meetings. So you don't have to worry about that tonight," Leo could barely contain his excitement.

"Isn't this a bit dangerous," I asked. I was beyond happy to see him, but this feels a bit reckless.

"Well," Leo rubbed the back of his head, "He probably just did this because he's tired of me complaining about how much a miss you. This gave me the chance to see you. It feels like forever."

My eyes softened. Oh Leo. I cupped his cheek.

He grabbed my hand in his and tilted his head.

"Can I see Atlas," I asked.

Leo shook his head and released me, "That's not a good idea. It's dangerous and might blow our cover."

"Oh."

Leo embraced me once more and I hugged him back giggling. Last time he hugged me this much, was in middle school when he thought I was going to die because a bee stung me.

He whispered into my neck, "I've missed you so much, Sarah. I'm never letting you go again. You should come back home with me, tonight."

I pulled away and he looked at me confused, "I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. Atlas and I have this whole plan thought up."

"No," I looked down. "I-I still have so much to do here. I'm not done yet. It's only been about a month."

Leo waved me off, "Oh you've been amazing, Sarah. Those last notes you sent us, were like the final pieces to the puzzle. Now that we have certain knowledge there are hidden passageways throughout the castle, we have the upper hand. Plus Atlas has a few other sources, who have been giving us intel too. We have everything we need now. You can come back. Everyone at base misses you."

I shook my head trying to process all of his information, then stood confidently.

"Leo, you should leave. It isn't smart for you to be here," I begged.

I took a step back, but Leo grabbed my face with both of his hands and kissed me.

My entire body froze and my eyes widened. His eyes were scrunched shut and his lips were desperate for me to kiss him back.

I pushed him off of me and took several steps away from him.

Leo stood there, broken. "Please. I need you back," his voice cracking.

I wrapped my arms around myself, unable to make eye contact with him. Then I began running.

"Where'd you go," Jeremiah's voice called out to me from down the hall. He was close.

I quickly rushed back around the corner to Jeremiah. Trying to shake myself from the memory of what just happened. It's not right. Leo kissing me just now. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. I've always imagined that first kiss between Leo, and I and it was never like that.

Jeremiah perked up the second he saw me and strolled over to me, a glass of champagne in either hand.

"I thought we should toast to our special night,"

Jeremiah announced loudly, to the pretend crowd around him.

I took the champagne from his hand, mentally cringing at how loud Jeremiah was being. Leo heard that for sure.

"Here's to... Us," Jeremiah clinked his glass against mine and took a sip.

Bringing the glass to my lips, I smiled at him, and glanced back down at the empty hallway behind me.