"You ungrateful bitch. I keep a roof over your head, and this is the thanks I get?"
"You could have killed her," I retort, trying to muster up confidence that I don't possess. "What if she goes to the cops, Dad? That bruise on her face is enough to...
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"Layla—"
Damian barely manages to get my name out before I'm slamming the door and pressing my lips to his in a heated, hungry kiss. Instantly, his arms circle around my waist, holding me to him as he strokes the sensitive skin of my lower back. The sensation sends a chill up my spine and makes me eager to disrobe. Without breaking the kiss, I unbutton my blouse and jeans.
"You're not wearing a bra." He fondles my bare breast, and I tremble against him. "I like that."
"Remind me to forgo undergarments more often," I whisper, head tilted back as his lips attack my neck.
He leads us to the bed and gently pushes me down on the mattress. Hovering above me, he smiles so brightly that I swear he alone could light up this entire cabin.
"Layla," he murmurs, caressing my cheek. The way he speaks my name gives me butterflies. He makes those five little letters sound like poetry.
"I know you want to take it slow," I say, "but can you just hold me tonight?"
"Of course." His lips meet my forehead in a chaste kiss. "I want you out of these jeans, though."
Giggling, I shimmy out of my pants and shirt and get comfortable on the bed. He peels off his own clothes, leaving only his boxers on, and snuggles up beside me.
"Do you want to discuss last night?" he asks. With my head against his chest, I feel his heart racing.
"I do," I answer. Talking to Jose made me realize that I can't push aside my feelings for Damian and pretend they don't exist. I need to face them head-on.
He chuckles nervously. "Wow, where do we start?"
"Let's start here." I rest my hand over his fast-beating heart. "We're both adults, and we don't need to make a big deal about the physical stuff."
"I agree."
"This, though...." With my finger, I draw a heart on his chest. As if by magic, his pulse slows, and he relaxes beneath me. "This is what matters."
Grinning, he loops his fingers through mine. "This is everything."
I take a deep breath and swallow my fear. This is it—the moment that will change our lives forever.
"Damian," I begin, "I... I love you. I've loved you since we were kids, but it's different now. I can't pretend it isn't."
Stroking my cheek, he whispers, "I can't, either."
I lean into his touch and close my eyes. "I don't know when it happened, if it was recent or if it was years ago, but somewhere in between the play dates and the coffee trips and the sheer pandemonium that is our lives, you became more than just my best friend." Slowly, I open my eyes. "I fell in love with you, Damian. I'm in love with you, and I can't keep hiding under the guise of friendship when all I want to do is—"
