Page 87 of Found by the Pack

Her eyes flick up to mine, searching, wary. Then she exhales. “I don’t mind, Boone. I mean—I’d like to do it again. I didn’t think I would, not after…” She trails off, shaking her head. “But I did. I do.”

Relief punches through me so hard I close my eyes. I kiss her—quick, grateful, lingering. “Same,” I whisper against her mouth.

We stay like that for a moment, quiet, breathing the same air. Then she sighs and pulls back. “I should probably go home. Get clothes. My supplies.”

“I’ll drop you off.” No hesitation.

She smiles, soft and shy. “Thanks.”

“I want to see you again soon,” I add, holding her gaze. Not a question. Not a hope. A truth.

Her cheeks flush, but she nods. “Okay.”

That single word feels like the sun rising all over again.

The ease of it settles between us. Like we’ve shifted into something new, something steadier. She leans her head on my shoulder, and I think I could sit here all day with her like this.

Still, I can’t resist pushing my luck. I tilt her chin up, smirking. “I’m definitely down for another round. Preferably in the shower.”

She giggles, the sound bright and unexpected. “That’s how people get injured, you know.”

“Good thing I’m a paramedic then,” I shoot back, grinning as I kiss her nose.

Her laughter fills the kitchen, and for the first time in years, I feel like the walls of this place aren’t too quiet, too empty.

Like they finally fit.

CHAPTER 21

Gabe

The door damn near slams off its hinges when Boone shoves it open, his voice already raised before I even have a chance to set my coffee down.

“Ashford!” he shouts, sharp enough to rattle my skull. “What the hell was that?”

I blink, caught mid-sip, the bitterness of stale brew sticking to my tongue. “What the hell was what?” I ask, even though I know exactly what he’s talking about. My stomach clenches, bracing.

Boone doesn’t bother hiding the fury etched across his face. His hair’s still damp from a shower, sticking up in a dozen directions, his jaw tight, eyes bloodshot like he hasn’t slept a wink since last night.

“Don’t you play dumb with me. You sat there at dinner like a ghost, barely said two words, then stormed out like you’d swallowed glass. That wasn’t tired, Gabe. That was bullshit. And I thought you said you had to be at the station today. I saw your truck in the parking lot.”

I set the mug down carefully, like that will anchor me, keep me calm. “I was tired,” I lie. “Three a.m. call, remember? The bonfire?”

Boone barks a humorless laugh, stepping further into my apartment, kicking the door closed behind him. “No. No, you don’t get to hide behind work this time. You think I don’t know you by now? I’ve been watching you my whole damn life. And last night—last night was important. For her. For Sadie.”

Her name hits like a punch. I stand, force steadiness into my voice. “Lower your damn voice before the whole complex hears you.”

“I don’t care if they hear!” Boone snarls, jabbing a finger toward me. “You’re the one who told me to go for it, remember? You said she liked me. You pushed me. And then you sit there glaring at her all through dinner like she’s done something wrong. What the hell is that, Gabe?”

The walls feel too small, my chest too tight. I lock the door, more to keep myself contained than anything else, the click of the bolt loud in the tense air. I lean against it, drag a hand down my face.

“Fine,” I grit out. “You want the truth? You really want it?”

Boone crosses his arms, chin jutting stubborn. “Yeah. I do.”

“I like her.” The words scrape out of me, raw and ugly. “Okay? I like her. And I know it’s wrong because she likes you, and you’re the one she kissed first, and you’re the one she looks at like she’s finally found a safe place to land. But I can’t turn it off, Boone. I tried. I fucking tried.”

The silence after is thick enough to drown me.