Page 98 of Endo
“With us. With me. It’s like you were always supposed to be here,” I say, shrugging like it’s no big deal, even though the words feel heavier than they sound. “Like despite everything we’ve both been through, somehow through it all, we still ended up exactly where we were always meant to be.”
Her expression softens, something unspoken passing between us as she looks at me. For a moment, it feels like the rest of the world falls away, leaving just the two of us and the steady rhythm of the ocean.
Her eyes glisten as she looks at me, and before I can say another word, she shifts, climbing onto my lap. Her arms loop around my neck, her lips finding mine in a kiss that’s slow and teasing, deliberate in the way it unravels me.
“Lena…” I murmur, my voice rough as my lips brush against hers. My hands slide down to her waist, gripping her firmly as she shifts, her body rolling against mine in a way that has my thoughts scattering.
“What?” she whispers, her breath warm and teasing against my skin. Her lips curl into a knowing grin, the kind that drives me out of my damn mind. “Is something wrong, Reign?” Her tone is light, playful, but there’s a challenge in her eyes.
I let out a low, strained chuckle, shaking my head as I tighten my hold on her. “Yeah, something’s wrong,” I say, my voice dropping lower, laced with heat. “You’re driving me out of my fucking mind. That’s what’s wrong.”
Her laugh is soft, sultry, and completely unbothered, like she knows exactly what she’s doing to me. She presses her forehead to mine, her movements slower now, more deliberate as she grinds against the length of me. “Insanity, huh?” she murmurs, her voice thick with amusement. “Doesn’t feel like insanity to me.”
Her hips press deeper, dragging against my hardened cock in a way that has me biting back a groan. My hands tighten on her waist, desperate for control that’s slipping away fast.
“You think you’re funny, don’t you?” I growl, my lips brushing her ear as she moves.
Her grin widens, her breath hitching just slightly as she rocks against me again. “No,” she whispers, her tone daring. “I think I’m winning.”
The sound of Cece’s voice carries down from the deck of the beach house, loud enough to echo over the waves. “¡Oye! Quit making out, you two! We’re heading down to the docks—get your asses down here and hit the water with us!”
Lena groans, leaning her forehead against my shoulder for a brief moment before pulling back. “She really has no concept of privacy, does she?”
I chuckle, my hand brushing against hers as we start walking. “Cece? None. She’s like a human megaphone with zero boundaries.”
“Maybe we should stay up here just to spite her,” Lena says, a teasing edge in her voice.
I smirk, tilting my head toward the docks. “Yeah, and risk her stomping up here to drag us down there? I’d rather not see what kind of speech she’s got loaded and ready to go.”
Lena laughs, the sound soft and easy, and it tugs at something deep in my chest. “Fine,” she says, shaking her head. “Let’s not give her the satisfaction.”
The two of us make our way down the sandy path toward the docks, the faint sounds of laughter and music drifting on the breeze from the house. Her hand brushes mine, and for a second, I think about taking it, about closing that tiny gap between us, but instead, I just glance at her.
She catches me looking and quirks a brow. “What?”
“Nothing,” I say with a shrug, my lips tugging into a slow grin. “Just thinking how good you look when you’re trying not to smile.”
She rolls her eyes, but the way her lips curve, betraying the smallest, softest smile, hits me like a punch to the chest. “You’re impossible,” she says, her voice laced with mock exasperation.
“And yet, here you are,” I fire back, my tone light, but inside, I’m floored.
I can’t believe she’s really here, walking next to me, letting me in the way she does. There’s still a part of me that thinks I don’t deserve it—that I’ll wake up and this will all be gone. But she’s here, looking at me like I’m more than just the mess I’ve been trying to piece together.
As we step onto the dock, the late afternoon sun stretches out across the water, painting everything in warm golds and oranges. The jet skis bob gently on the waves, and the distant sound of the team’s laughter carries on the breeze. But none of it matters. Not the view, not the noise, not the perfect glow of the moment.
It’s her. It’s always her.
She glances at me, catching me staring, and raises a brow. “What now?”
“Just trying to figure out how I got this lucky,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
Her expression softens for a split second before she huffs, shaking her head. “You’re such a sap,” she says, but there’s no bite to it, only warmth.
“Yeah, maybe, but I’myoursap,” I murmur, my voice quiet but firm.
Her steps falter for just a moment, her cheeks tinging pink, but she recovers quickly, throwing me a grin that’s pure trouble. “Careful, Matthews. You keep talking like that, and I might actually believe you.”
“You should,” I say, smirking as I lean closer. “Because it’s true.”
