Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
I could hardly admit it, but after how Keegan had opened his heart for me, he deserved the same in return.
“I’m not strong enough for that, Keeg. I’ve lost so many people in my life already. And the way things are going, the way I feel about you, I’m terrified that the more time we spend together, the worse this is going to get. And the harder it’s going to be to lose you when that day comes.”
He appeared so much more relaxed than when he was standing outside, looking nearly as pissed as he had by the end of our night. His gaze shifted up and down me, looking far more sympathetic.
At the very least, I hoped he understood that this was all about me and nothing at all about any weakness on his part.
“Well, look who’s being good at being vulnerable right now,” he said with a smirk, clearly working to cheer me up. He reached up and adjusted the bill of his cap, in that cute-as-fuck way he did when he was uneasy. “I guess I jumped the gun on that.”
“It makes sense,” I said in his defense. “I should have chosen my words more carefully.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. As I said, I’m not some delicate flower. And neither are we. This is what relationships are about. Friendships or family. We fight, we have issues, but then we find a way through it…together.”
Such words of wisdom from my smart man.
He approached and took my hands. “O, you’re right about me having to choose to make a sacrifice to be with you, but it looks like you have to make a sacrifice too. This could all go to hell, we both know it, but how the fuck did we even make it as far as we have? Doesn’t that mean something to you? And are you willing to put your heart on the line to see where this leads? I’m scared as hell, same as you, but I’m in it. And I’m strong enough to get through wherever this leads us, and I know you are too, but this is a chance we both have to take.”
He was right.
Every word.
I nodded in agreement as he stroked his thumb gently over the back of my hand.
“Now,” he said. “I’m gonna walk out that door. Give you time to think about all this. Take your time, as much as you need. And if you need a few weeks or months to sort through this, I understand. And I’ll be here, studying like hell until you’re sure if this sacrifice is worth it for you.”
His lip curled into his cheek before he released my hands and started past me, toward the door.
Weeks? Fucking months? Was he out of his goddamn mind?
“Keeg!” I said, whirling around as he headed for the door.
I heard a sound, like a sniffle.
“Keegan!” I shouted again, halting him in place.
He kept facing the door.
“Will you turn around?”
He turned slowly, until I could see his reddened face, the tear running down his cheek. “What?” he said in as childish a voice as he could muster.
“What are you doing?”
“You said my vulnerability was my strength, so I must be super strong right now,” he said as he sniffled and wiped at his face.
If ever there was a moment that could have told me just how in love with Keegan Kruse I was, it was right then.
“I already know what I want, and that doesn’t involve you leaving.”
“Oh, thank fucking God,” he said as I rushed him, taking him into my arms and planting a kiss on that perfect mouth of his.
We kissed until it was hard to fucking breathe, until he finally managed to pull away. “God, it’s worse than I thought,” he said.
“What?”
“How badly you’re in love with me. Jesus, you’re clingy,” he said with a wink, clearly trying to defuse the tension.
It pulled a much-needed laugh right from me.
He gulped before adding, “I don’t know how the hell we’re gonna do this. I’m your first guy, you’re my first relationship. I’ve never been a royal, and you have a hard time not being a cocky bastard. I have college and vet school. We live on separate sides of the world. There are so many things about us that don’t seem like they work, but we do. Just give me a chance. Give us a chance.”
“Oh, Keegan, at the rate you’re going today, I can tell if you do wind up breaking my heart, you’re going to shatter it into a million pieces.” I could tell by the way he tensed up in my grasp that he’d taken that the wrong way. “But if you’re willing to sacrifice everything, then I’m all in too.”
His smile returned, and he kissed me again.
A kiss that felt like so much more than anything we’d shared before, maybe because we both knew we were all in.