Page 28 of Fame & Chaos

“That’s cruel.”

She laughed again and tugged me toward the bed.

Still, nerves churned inside me while she sat down and looked up at me through her lashes. Even after everything between us, I still couldn’t quite believe this was real.

That she wanted me too.

“You okay?” she asked softly.

“Yeah.” I swallowed hard. “Just trying not to freak out completely.”

Her expression softened instantly. “Why?”

“Because this matters.” I looked down at her. “You matter.”

That look nearly undid me.

She reached up slowly, brushing her fingers along my jaw before leaning in and kissing me softly. “It’s perfect, Caleb,” she whispered against my lips. Then she kissed me again properly.

Everything else disappeared immediately.

I slid my hand into her hair, holding her close while she climbed into my lap as if she belonged there. The kiss deepened slowly, naturally, months of tension finally unraveling between us.

And Christ… every time she touched me, it felt like my body forgot how to function properly.

I pulled back slightly, resting my forehead against hers. “What’re you thinking?” I asked quietly.

She smiled softly, her fingers brushing across my cheek. “That I want this.”

“You sure?”

She nodded. “I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

The honesty in her voice hit me hard because this wasn’t rushed or reckless. This was years of friendship, trust, love, grief, and longing, all leading us here together.

I kissed her again, slower this time, taking my time with her while the music played softly in the background and candlelight flickered across her skin.

Everything about the moment felt unreal.

Beautiful.

She smiled against my lips when I kept stopping every few minutes to ask if she was okay, which only made me more determined to make sure she felt safe with me.

Always safe.

And when we finally made love for the first time, it wasn’t frantic or messy like I’d imagined it might be when I was younger.

It was slow.

Emotional.

Intimate in a way I wasn’t prepared for. Because being close to Indi like that felt less physical and more like every piece of me had finally settled into the right place.

I held her carefully the entire time, kissing her whenever she looked nervous, slowing down whenever she needed me to, and she stayed wrapped around me as though she trusted me completely.

That trust meant everything.

More than anything.