Page 95

“It was fucking amazing,” Ryder agrees.

“You were there too?”

Kate gestures to the television. “He was racing, but I brought home your camera.” The screen replays our performance, and we do look gracefully elegant.

“Ready?” Ryder ask Kate.

“Where are you going?”

She grabs the bag beside her I hadn’t noticed before. “Ryder rode here, and we need to get his bike back to the house, so I’m going to stay there.”

I peek my head out the window. “The winds seem to be dying down.” I attempt to sound hopeful.

“Yeah, but if my baby falls over, I’ll end up killing people,” he jokes.

Exhaustion is creeping in, but I need to shower. “Well, be careful, okay?”

“I’m taking my car.” Kate dangles her keys. “I’ll be back in the morning.”

“Finals are at eight!” I remind her.

As they leave, Foster pulls me into a tight hug. “We have the place to ourselves.”

“Yes, we do.” I blush. “Just let me go shower really quick.”

“Can I come?”

I place my palm on his chest, pushing him away. “We’re both dead if the RA catches us. But I’ll be back …” I plant a long, lingering kiss on his full lips. “Very soon.”

36

Foster POV

I’ve been in love with Skyler from the moment I laid my eyes on her but tonight … seeing her in her element and telling our story? I’ve fallen that much fucking harder.

I’m so glad I called off going to that race; she deserves to have me present, and knowing now that I’m getting close to paying off that debt left a little room for freedom. The big race isn’t until the storm makes landfall, so I have time.

Soon, I’ll have all the time in the world for her. For Sophie. For Grandma. For my life.

Skyler does so much for me, and I feel like I do so little for her. She’s given up everything she’s ever known just to fucking be with me. And while it wasn’t a good life, and she’s better off in my arms, she still trusted me.

I’ll never take her for granted.

She pulled off a huge performance tonight, and she’s probably mentally and physically drained. I’m going to make this room an oasis for her. I pull out a few candles and light them, turning off the heavy fluorescent lights and creating a more calming atmosphere.

I pull my cologne from the nightstand and spray the shark, then finally I open her nightstand drawer to grab out the softest, most comfortable pajamas I can find.

Why does she have so many of my shirts? She’s a thief. The thought of her stuffing my shirts in a bag before she leaves makes my heart swell. That’s pretty cute. Wait, what’s this?

I pull out an envelope with her name scribbled across the front.

I should put it back; it’s not my business, but Skyler is the most organized person I know. She has color coordinated tabs for everything, so something like this hidden in a drawer seems off.

I sit on her bed and open it up.

No.

No.