Page 36 of Newly Tied

My breath caught, and it was hard to meet his gaze.

“I bet Ashton texted to tell you about Nicolette changing her mind about me, and then he asked you out. He wants alone time with the hot marshal, am I right?”

He was. Lots of lovely, praising words for me about my smile and my voice and my delectable frame. It was really very kind. And I would have told Lang that, bantered with him, but my brain had shorted out when his hands touched my bare skin.

“So, best friend, partner, buddy, pal, can you guess what it is that I’ve been wrestling with?”

I’d been looking down at the floor, but at that I lifted my head to gaze into his eyes.

“Can you guess what I was going to say earlier, about it being time to do something different?”

I was concentrating on breathing. In and out.

“I don’t want to ruin anything with us,” he husked, “because I can’t—I won’t lose you. I’d rather deal with this on my own and⁠—”

“You think I’m hot?”

He didn’t answer, just stared at me.

“Do you?” I pressed. “You said Ashton wants ‘alone time with the hot marshal.’ Is that how you think of me?”

“You… I…” He was floundering.

Suddenly I was so happy, I felt like I had to be glowing. “Tell me,” I demanded softly, reaching up to take his face in my hands because now, all at once, I could.

“Don’t I…haven’t I told you before that I think you’re beautiful?”

“No,” I barely got out.

“Oh. Weird. I was sure I⁠—”

I kissed him.

There was nothing else to be done. He talked so much, all the time, and I loved our banter and the way he could wear down anyone with the power of his words. But at that moment they were deserting him, and they weren’t necessary anyway.

It was the most natural thing in the world to do, to gather him close, because now I knew it wasn’t solely me pining. It was mutual. I kissed him so he could tell, so he could feel all my desire and yearning. I didn’t want any confusion about how much I wanted him.

Pressing for entrance, when he parted his soft lips, I got to taste him, and that fast, I wanted more. Because if he was about to shove me off him and tell me we’d made a huge mistake, I was going to know all about his mouth and his tongue and how it felt, finally, to kiss someone I loved. I wanted all of him I could have in these breath-stealing moments.

When he broke the kiss and stepped back, staring at me with wide eyes, shivering slightly and licking his lips, tasting me there, I was terrified I’d messed up. Or more accurately, messed us up.

“You want me?” Lang asked.

“Of course I want you. How could I not?”

“But you never said anything,” he replied hoarsely.

“I never would. You’re my best friend, my partner, and you gave me the incredible gift of your family. You, more than anyone, know how precious all that is to me. I wasn’t about to lose you because I’m in love with you. That could never happen.”

“You love me?”

“Yes.”

“And not like…”

“More than friends,” I admitted. “Like, I want my whole life with you.”

He held my gaze for long moments, staring at me. Then he said, “You’re so stupid.”