It was a game, but it was our game.

Tori moaned and pleaded, “Harder,” and sank back against me, getting me deeper, and then she was coming again, body trembling in pleasure as my fingers rubbed her clit.

“Jamie … oh, God, Jamie!” she cried, reaching back and grasping at my hip as I kept pumping.

“Close,” I groaned. My spine burned. “Fuck, baby, come on.”

I pulled out and stood, tearing the condom off and stroking my cock as Tori spun around and knelt in front of me with her hands under her tits.

“Do it,” she whispered.

I groaned and pushed her hair out of her face so I could watch her lips part and the heat in her eyes as I shot my cum all over her chest, and she wasted no fucking time dipping her head and licking it off.

And when she was finished, Tori slowly lifted her head, dragged her tongue across her bottom lip, savoring me, and smiled.

My chest was so fucking tight, I was waiting for it to split wide open.

Tori’s eyes widened. She looked down and moved her hand between her cleavage, saying, “I, uh, missed some. Can you—”

“Get you a towel,” I offered, watching her head lift and then drop slightly.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

I bent and grabbed the condom and wrapper, disposing of those in the kitchen trash on my way to the bathroom. I washed off. I got the hand towel damp, returned with it, and handed it off to Tori so she could clean herself up. And while she was doing that, I claimed the pillow and stretched out on my back in front of the fire.

My eyes closed. I felt her warm body pressing against my side and the soft cotton of another blanket pulling across my feet.

“I’m cold,” she whispered.

Eyes opening, I wrapped my arm around her, hand palming her ass and hauling her closer.

Her head hit my chest, her arm curled around my stomach and her leg bent and pressed on top of mine.

With my other hand I drew the blanket up and covered her to the tops of her shoulders.

I didn’t need the blanket. She made sure of that.

Those flames were still burning.

“I heard it might just be his pressure being high,” I said after my head hit the pillow, letting her know I had been updated on her dad. “Travis said he gave him a prescription to take. Told him to get some tests done.”

“Does your brother make house calls a lot?” she asked softly, watching the fire.

“No.”

“Ever?”

“No.”

“Does he even live in Raleigh?” she questioned, head popping up and round eyes meeting mine.

I smiled and grabbed her arm, giving it a tug until she dropped back down, head hitting my chest again. “He lives in Durham. Doesn’t make house calls, but we’re close, and if I ask him for shit, he does it. Goes both ways,” I explained.

“Do you have any other siblings?” she asked, blinking at the fire.

“None you haven’t met already.”

“I’d like to meet Travis, too, if that’s okay. I want to thank him.”

“Think we can arrange that.”

Her head dropped in a nod. She sighed.

I closed my eyes again.

“I like your heart,” Tori whispered seconds later, and my eyes shot open.

Fuck.

“Baby,” I breathed.

“I would’ve died waiting years,” she added.

The arm I had around her tightened. I lifted my head and saw Tori was watching me with blue eyes wide and focused.

“I would’ve,” she whispered, then she snuggled closer, pressed her cheek to my chest again, gave me a squeeze with her arm around my waist, and closed her eyes.

Just like that. Denying she loved me and then she gives me that.

I didn’t press for the truth anymore. I didn’t ask Tori if she was ready to admit she loved me.

I dropped my head onto the pillow, kept my hold on her and closed my eyes. For tonight, this was enough.

It was everything.

Chapter Seventeen

TORI

Fifteen minutes later

His breaths were relaxed now. Slow-paced and sleepy.

I peeked my eyes open and blinked at the flames dancing behind the glass. I pressed my hand flat to his heart.

“Jamie,” I whispered.

Nothing.

He breathed out and stayed deep inside his dream.

I shifted until my chin was resting on his ribs, then lifted up and peered into his face. Eyes closed. Lips touching, not parted. And head turned. The glow from the fire crawled up his shoulder to his neck. His face was shadowed.

“Jamie,” I whispered again, watching him. Listening.

Nothing. His body didn’t move aside from his chest lifting with his next breath.

I dipped my head and touched my lips to his skin, hand over his heart still and eyes focused and inspecting.

I breathed out. I breathed in. “I love you,” I whispered. Then I waited.

Nothing.

His arm around my back didn’t tense. His lashes didn’t flutter. His mouth didn’t smile or open to tell me know that, babe and then maybe, maybe admit the same.

Jamie didn’t move. He didn’t speak.

He never heard me.

Chapter Eighteen

JAMIE

I woke up alone on the floor with the blanket thrown over my waist.

The fire was out, meaning the timer either turned it off or Tori did, and the light was on in the kitchen, but when I sat up and stood, pushing my hair out of my face and looking around, the room was empty.

It was pitch black outside. The clock on the stove read 12:07.