Page 99 of Not On Your Life

“Please, don’t—” He turns to leave his desk, and his eyes catch mine through the glass. He drops his phone and rushes into the room.

My pulse speeds up. This is it. Time to be brave.

“What are you doing here?” He asks.

“I needed to talk to you.” Tears rain down my cheeks and he rushes forward, gathering me into his arms.

“Maddie, whatever I did wrong I’ll change. I’ll be better.”

“It’s too late. I don’t want you to change because…” I shake my head. “I love you.”

He stills. “What?”

Before now, lots of things scared me—being locked in closets, letting Connor win at anything, getting my job back. But now there’s only one thing that keeps me up at night. “The only thing you could do wrong is leave me.”

The corner of his lips curl in the most delicious smile. “You know that leaves a wide margin of error, right?”

I laugh and nod. “I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

“And that’s okay with you?” he asks.

“You annoy me and complete me all at the same time.” I slip my arms around his neck. “Half the time I want to strangle you, but I’ll settle for loving you instead.”

He cups my cheek and pulls me closer. “I love you, Maddie.” He captures my lips with as much passion as we used to put into fighting.

Forget about lunch. Who needs food when they can kiss their former enemy like this?

He pulls back, his eyes shining. “I can’t believe you beat me at saying I love you.”

“I can’t help it if I knew before you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.“ He traces my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb and I shiver. “I’ve loved you since the first time you called me the devil.”

“Liar.” I tickle the base of his hair.

“You know love isn’t a competition, right?” he whispers.

“Then why do I feel like I’ve won?”

He kisses me, and we compete in a different kind of competition entirely. One where we both win.

I pull at his hair with one hand then tug on those pesky done up buttons with my other as his hands glide up my back. This kiss is fast and slow, strong and soft, a promise that no matter what we face, good or bad, we can handle it. Together. I’ve never been more confident.

I used to get a thrill out of beating him, but it had nothing on this. This I could do forever.

A throat clears.

I startle at the sound. We really need to stop kissing in public places.

I pull away from Connor to find Mr. Lawrence in the doorway with half of the office standing behind the glass wall. Including Bri, whose jaw is hanging wide open, her breath fogging up the glass. “We need the room,” he says sheepishly.

“Yes, sir.” I pull back and smooth my hair. Why did I call him sir? He isn’t my boss anymore. “I, uh, had to prove a point to Mr. Quinn here.”

Mr Lawrence nods, his lips twitching. “Seems your message was well received.”

My cheeks burn, but Connor grins, his eyes never leaving my face. “Yes, sir.”

“But perhaps there’s a better place you two can… reconvene?”