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He held it in a possessive way. Almost like he was claiming me and needed to make sure I paid close attention to whatever he was about to say.

And I was seriously messed up in the head because I liked it.

A normal, sane woman would have seen it as a huge red flag and told him to go to hell. But not me. Instead, my thighs pressed together to find some kind of relief. What is wrong with me? I wasn’t just turned on, I was dripping. My thighs were hot and damp with my need, and I was glad I was wearing black leggings because any other color would have given away just how wet I was.

“Now, let’s get something very clear.” He spoke slowly and with an intensity that I felt all the way down to my toes. “I’m not embarrassed of you, Callie Villa. Never have been. If you remember correctly, it was me taking you, pushing you to come to everything I had to go to.”

“Adam,” I whispered. My pulse beat erratically against his thumb.

“Not just here but in high school, too. I was the problem. Not you. Especially back then.” My brows bunched with confusion as my chest rose and fell heavily. “I wasn’t good enough for you. My girl was going places and ready to change the world, and I needed to get my head out of my ass.”

Did he just… did he just call me his girl?

“What are you talking about? Not going places? That makes no sense, Adam. You’re a great baseball player⁠—“

“I only played so I could follow you here.” He’d said something to that effect once, but I had always thought he was kidding around, being sweet. But now, after hearing everything, even to the way he touched me, I felt his words deep down and they settled over my soul. “We both know it wasn’t my grades that got me to college, ladybug.”

“You’ve always been good enough, Adam,” I whispered. The pad of his thick thumb moved from my jaw and stroked my temple, his hands slowly sliding into my hair.

“I’m not a chubby chaser. I’m a Callie chaser. You’re it for me, ladybug.” My head swam with what he was saying. His words were genuine and his gaze bright with honesty. “Not because Trevor Grant is sniffing around, but because you were made for me and I was made for you. I’ve been in love with you since freshman year.”

That last bit almost made my knees give out under me.

Not that it mattered. I knew in my soul before, but especially now, no matter the situation, Adam wouldn’t let me fall.

“College?” I whispered. He shook his head. My eyes softened with the realization of what he was saying.

“High school.” I had been it for him since high school. And he had been it for me, too. I’d loved him since I’d met him. All those years we’d been best friends, as close as two people could be, and we’d both been pining for each other.

“And this year?” I asked.

“It was a stupid fight. And when I tried to talk to you, you ran away. Every single time.”

“So… you stopped coming around?” I blurted, unable to hide the hurt in my voice. Something flicked in his gaze, and my brows bunched. “What was that?” I asked and felt his hands move from my neck to cup my face fully.

“Nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing. There was a look, after I said you stopped coming around and⁠—“

“I never stopped coming around, Cal. Not once.” I blinked, trying to make sense of what he was saying.

“What does that mean?”

“What I said.” He shrugged, and I knew he was intentionally being vague.

“But I never saw you.”

“What can I say?” He shrugged again. “I’m good at hiding in the shadows.”

“Shadows?” I laughed, but it died on my face when I realized he wasn’t kidding.

I’m good at hiding in the shadows. How the hell is that even possible? He was six four, tatted up with muscles for days! I thought back to the past year. The late-night classes I’d taken and had to walk back to my place off campus. Roxie always wondered how I could do that and not be freaked out. It was one of the reasons she’d started to meet me halfway.

But I had never felt unsafe.

“You were… following me? Stalking me?” I frowned. “Liar.” He shook his head.

“I’ve never lied to you, ladybug.” He kissed my forehead again and then my nose. My lips tingled and my thoughts went quiet as my veins pulsed with heat that ricocheted with every beat of my heart. He was so close to my mouth.