Page 60 of From the Wreckage

Everett

Sunlight filters through the blinds, warm stripes cutting across the bed.

Bri’s curled against me, her hair a mess against my chest, her breathing steady.

For one long, selfish moment, I lie there and let myself believe this is my life.

That she’s mine. That I get to wake up like this every morning.

But the weight in my chest reminds me it’s a lie.

I tell myself it’s the last time. One more morning. One more laugh. One more kiss. Then I’ll let her go. Not fully, but back to pretending we don’t mean anything to each other.

But I’ve been saying that every damn day since she slipped past my defenses, and it’s never been true.

Her lashes flutter, and when her eyes open, she smiles sleepily up at me. That smile destroys me. God, angel… I press a kiss to her temple instead of her mouth, trying to keep my distance, but she only burrows closer, her hand splayed over my ribs.

“Morning,” she murmurs, her voice rough with sleep.

“Morning,” I rasp back. My throat’s too tight for anything more.

She shifts, propping her chin on my chest, studying me. The sunlight catches in her hair, giving her a fiery halo, and it feels like I’m staring at something I’ll never deserve.

“I should go back to the cabin later,” she says softly. “Make it look like I’ve been there. Dad will be back soon.”

The reminder twists the knife deeper. I clear my throat, try to sit up, to put space between us. “You should get some rest first. It was a late night.”

She frowns, confusion flickering across her face. “Everett?—”

Before she can finish, I press another kiss to her forehead, trying to make it casual. “Sleep, angel. I’ll grab coffee. We’ll figure it out later.”

For a second, I almost believe I’ve created the space I need. But then she pushes herself up and straddles my waist, her hair falling around us like a curtain. Her eyes blaze with something that pulls the air from my lungs.

“You keep trying to push me away,” she whispers. “But I’m not letting you.”

Her mouth brushes mine, soft at first, and I freeze, torn between breaking the kiss and giving her everything. Then she deepens it, her fingers threading through my hair, and every ounce of resistance I’ve been clinging to shatters.

I grab her hips, hauling her down against me, kissing her like I’ll never get the chance again.

One more kiss, I tell myself as I crush my mouth to hers. One more, and then I’ll stop.

But even as I think it, I know I’m lying. Because with her, one more will never be enough.