Page 138 of Reckless

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He stood by the far windows talking to Michael.

He was handsome in that dark sweater with his hands in his pockets and his head bent slightly as he listened.

His gaze found me with that quick, immediate recognition.

I knew what I wanted.

And God help me, I wanted him to know that too.

He looked at me like he was reading something new in my face and maybe he was.

I wasn’t hiding anymore.

I crossed the room before I could think too hard about it.

Not all the way to him at first.Just enough that when Michael saw me coming, he glanced between us and, thank God, walked away without making it weird.

Xerses stayed where he was.

Waiting.

I stopped in front of him and looked up.

He looked down.

And the room around us lost edges the way it kept doing now, which would have been alarming if it hadn’t also felt a little beautiful.

“You good?”he asked quietly.

“I still choose you.”

For one second he didn’t move at all.

Then his whole face shifted in that small, devastating way only I ever seemed to fully catch.

Not surprise exactly.

I wanted him to know that last night had not been some one-off leap I woke up regretting under expensive guest-room sheets.

I wanted him to know I was still here.Still wanting him.Still standing in front of him with my body warm and my choice intact.

And because now I had said that much, because I had gone this far, I added the next truth too.

“I know your past,” I said.“I know who you’ve been with women.I know what Britney warned me about.”My voice stayed steady.“But I’m hoping it doesn’t matter if we want the same thing now.”

His eyes stayed locked on mine.“And what do you think I want.”

The question under everything.

I let myself be brave.

“A real future,” I said softly.“Not a fake one.”

The whole room seemed to disappear.

My pulse was loud.My skin warm.The air between us so alive I could barely breathe through it.

And then Xerses touched me.

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