For always, p.26
For Always, page 26
I spent school breaks with her and was on the first flight to New York three hours after the last bell for summer vacation, but the time in between was painful, even though she flew to Seattle twice a month for a long weekend. She was often so tired from the trip that we didn’t do more than nap on my couch for two days.
Kate rested her cheek against my chest. “What if we kill each other?”
I sighed, both palms resting politely over her lower back. “I’d die a happy man.”
She scoffed, gawking at me, but she couldn’t hide the tug of her lips as she fought a smile. “Shut up.”
“I’ll do no such thing,” I murmured, nuzzling her neck and pressing soft kisses along her warm, sticky skin. “Not when you need reassurance and comfort that this is the best thing ever, roomie.”
She tasted like aloe. Kate didn’t do well in the sun with her fair skin, and despite our days hiking in the mountains around Windmere over the last week and her obsessive use of sunscreen, she burned in the higher elevation.
It’d been an interesting trip home to visit the Daltons before packing up my place. Beau was unexpectedly home for the summer and, as usual, had gotten into a bit of a situation. As much as I wanted to linger around Windmere to watch him work himself out of it, I was due to start my new job next week, and Kate had some new authors to terrorize.
We spent several days visiting Mr. and Mama Dalton, hiking, and swimming at the lake. And, of course, spent a night at the fishing cabin. This time, I didn’t even have to hold Kate hostage to keep her with me.
Kate relaxed against me, her hands sliding over my shoulders before combing through my hair.
“Is your worry a real fear?” I pulled back, cupping her face to hold her gaze. “Or an old one?”
She mumbled something indistinguishable, not meeting my eye.
“Sorry?”
“God,” she groaned. “Fine. It’s old and irrational. Just like you.”
Kate kicked her sandal against the concrete, biting on her bottom lip and squinting at me like she wasn’t being a brat. But I had a thing for Bratty Kate.
“Remind me,” she said, softer this time.
Kate was still stubborn and prideful, but she learned to balance that with requests for comfort instead of pushing me away. And me? I loved to be the one to bring her comfort—the one who made her feel safe. Finally.
I hummed, kissing a path along her jaw. “You’re mine, Kate. I’m yours. I’ve loved you for a long time, and I’ll love you for even longer still.”
“For how long?” Her fingertips flexed against my arms.
“For always.”
She smiled, nodding and demanding my mouth for a hard kiss.
“For always,” she breathed against my lips. “I’ll be in love with you for always.” She pressed her forehead to mine. “Even on the days when I can’t stand you.”
I chuckled, enjoying the feel of her in my arms despite the heat of our bodies on an already sweltering day. There was no goodbye this time. No sending me to the airport or hanging up on a call we didn’t want to end. I’d melt in the sun forever just to hold her without a goodbye.
“You want to fight me, but I think it’s because you love the make-up sex.”
She didn’t argue, which was a little disappointing. I enjoyed our stupid arguments. Then again, I also enjoyed the make-up sex. Sometimes I antagonized her just to fight and then fuck. Turns out, that former sort of enemies-to-lovers thing was hot.
Kate let herself into the truck, grumbling about the box at her feet as I double-checked the trailer to make sure it was secure.
“Forty hours of you, me, and the open road, baby.” I winked. “What a thrill.”
Kate huffed a laugh, rifling through her bag and pulling out a pack of grape Bubble Yum. She gave me the first piece.
I knew she loved me.
The drive across the country was long—made even longer by the fact that Kate gets car sick while reading, which we learned at the end of our first day.
“How was I supposed to know?” she protested. “I always fly, like a sane person. If you’d just shipped your stuff like I suggested—”
I groaned, my hands fisting in frustration. “I told you, it’s too much to ship an entire household, and I’m not getting rid of all my shit.”
Kate bit her lip, her eyes shuttering with a frustrated exhale. “I said I’d pay for it.”
“You’re not paying for it,” I gritted, my jaw clenched tight, and my nostrils flared.
The motel was an impromptu stop. In part so Kate could clean herself up and I could clean the truck. The rest would be welcomed, and I was glad we stopped. The sheets on the bed were questionable, but it looked comfortable enough.
I couldn’t say for sure, given I was angry-fucking Kate against the bathroom vanity.
“If I can get over my pride, you can get over yours,” she bit, her nails digging into the skin of my back.
I fisted her hair, pulling to expose and lick her neck. Her skin was cool from the AC in the room, mixing with the cold shower she’d just stepped out of. Me? I was on fire.
“Real fucking cute, Kate. And delusional. You’re just as prideful as—”
“I’m coming, you idiot. Shut up and come with me.” Her mouth slammed to mine, a soft whimper combining with the low groan of my release as I unraveled right behind her.
Panting, sweaty, and sated, we collapsed against the counter. Kate’s fingers traced circles over my shoulder as she grinned and met my gaze. “I love you.”
“For always?”
She kissed me softly. “Even after.”
Afterword
Hello Dear Reader,
As an indie author who self-publishes their work, I appreciate every single one of you and every single page you’ve read! Sincerely, thank you. If you've enjoyed reading this book, I hope you'll be willing to leave a review. Every review counts, and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
To keep up on my work and my latest releases, sign up for my newsletter here.
Don't worry, I promise I rarely send out emails, and while I've been told that's very poor indie author behavior, I'm sticking with it ;)
You can also find me at www.kceverly.com or shoot me an email kceverly@gmail.com.
Thanks so much for reading :) And YES, Beau will be getting his own story… and ooooooh boy. You're going to love it. Get on that newsletter to stay up to date!
Xx
KC
Acknowledgements
A Very Special Thank You...
Thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read anything I’ve ever written—good, bad, or otherwise. You’re the real heroes on this journey. That includes my beta readers, those brave souls, who get first eyes on any manuscript.
Beck, Emy, and Amanda—thank you, truly, for your help on this project.
And of course, a special thank you to my family, who allow me to ignore them as release day approaches.
Every single one of you who has read the book—even if you’re like me and skip these acknowledgments when reading and never see this—I hold tremendous gratitude for your interest in reading my book. It means the world to me, and I thank you for your support.
Also By
Standalone Novels
Despite Your Crazy
Just A Phase
Tough Guy
Interconnected Standalone Novels
The Boys from Clear Lake
Same As Yesterday
The Wickedest Ones
Broken Like Me
Carried Away
The Windmere Series
For Always
For Keeps (coming in 2024)
K.C. Everly, For Always
