Page 5 of Becoming Us

Kiss.

“My head feels really foggy too.”

Kiss. Kiss. Motherfucking perfect kiss.

I practically melted into him. “I missed this too.”

His hands found my waist, drawing me closer. It had always been this—Atty using his strength in the gentlest way possible. It always got to me. I loved how he handled me.

“You’re just too fucking hot, sweetheart. And I don’t want to start this by breaking all the rules.”

His warm breath spilled across my lips, but he didn’t push.

My half-lidded eyes met his pale and steady ones as they scanned my face.

“What?”

Atty shook his head slightly. “Nothing.”

“What?”

He lifted a shoulder, tongue darting over his lower lip. “That’s the second time you’ve called me that tonight.”

I racked my brain, trying to figure out what the hell he meant. “Called you what?”

“Sweetheart,” he whispered.

Heat rushed to my face. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I had.”

He shook his head again. “I don’t mind. It’s just different.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a good different or a bad different. His face gave me nothing.

“Do you hate it? I’ll stop.”

He exhaled and shifted slightly, the heat between us breaking. His eyes drifted away, his lips twisting into something almost pained.

My stomach dropped.

You never fucking learn, Noah.

“You do hate it.”

“It’s not that. It’s just…” He seemed to struggle to find the words.

“Just what, Atty?” I kept my tone gentle, even though something kept pinching at my chest.

He clicked his tongue and shrugged. “Is it something you picked up from someone else?”

A car rushed past, the whoosh of its sound filling the air between us.

Oh.

I reached for his face, stroking my thumb over his cheek. His eyes met mine again.

“No. I’m sure I’ve called you that before tonight,” I said. “I call you that in my head sometimes. I just figured you weren’t into it. Tonight, it just slipped out.”

The tension in his shoulders eased slightly. “Why would you think that?”