Page 54

CHAPTER 54

ST. CLARE

SIX MONTHS LATER

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“I don’t know about this,” I say, determined to sound confident and not at all like I’m bracing from going ass-over.

“What’s to know?” Perry asks, as relaxed putting on roller skates as he is about anything else he attempts. He tugs the laces of his skate as tight as they’ll pull then does them up in a triple knot. We’re both wearing padding and gloves and helmets, while kids half our size whizz past completely unprotected.

For the love of Judge Judy—yes, it’s rubbed off on me—that kid is skating backward . If he can do that, surely I can manage to stay upright.

“Let’s do this!” Perry’s excitement is contagious; at least it is, until he pushes to his feet and almost as soon as he’s vertical, his skates go out from under him and with a quick meep Perry hits the floor, ass-first.

“Shit!” I scoot along the bench and reach for him. “Are you okay? ”

Surprisingly, a laugh wheezes from him. “Damn, that hurt. But it’s not like I was shot, so I’ll be fine.”

I groan and tug him back up onto the bench beside me. “One day you’ll take something seriously and I’ll die from shock.”

“Even more incentive to never, ever be serious. Ever.”

I can’t argue with him there. He’s perfect the way he is.

That sickening little rush of nerves floods through me at the thought and I flick a look at him from the corner of my eye. Every day with Perry has been an amazing experience, and for something I was half-convinced would fizzle out once all the action and excitement was over, we’re still going strong.

Very strong.

So strong that I keep having multiple thoughts a day like the one I just had. Thoughts about loving him.

And there are those nerves again.

I want to say it already. Just put out there that I’m in love with him, but every time I think about bringing it up, he either gets distracted by something shiny, or I end up in my head, convincing myself it’s both too soon and too late for the word.

I’ve just convinced myself that now would be a perfect time to say something, when Perry shoves suddenly back to his feet. The skates lurch dangerously and it takes about ten solid seconds of Perry teetering and slipping across the floor to reach the half wall dividing us from the people roller skating.

When he makes it, he looks back over his shoulder, bright smile taking over his face.

“I did it!”

“You did something.” But despite my words, I’m wearing a matching smile because his enthusiasm is contagious.

“Your turn.”

Well, fuck. I should have realized that’s what comes next, but even though this was my stupid, random bucket list item, I don’t actually want to try it. Perry went down as gracelessly as I’d expect from him, and I’m convinced that if I fall, it will be even worse than that.

All flailing limbs and possibly a cracked skull for my efforts .

I huff out an exhale and remind myself of my helmet. Like Perry said, it’s not a gunshot. If we can get through that, a little thing like roller skating shouldn’t be able to stop us.

Knowing just how easy it is to fall, I white knuckle the bench as I slowly, incrementally, put my weight on the skates and straighten. I’m practically holding my breath as I try to keep my balance against the wheels that are one deep inhale away from shooting out from under me.

It takes to the count of three to get the courage to let go of the bench and, arms extended awkwardly to the sides, I have no clue what to do next. Presumably, I need to move, but that feels ill-advised right now.

“Come on, Reilly,” Colin calls as he goes speeding past us with Onyx on his other side. Onyx was a natural at this—or was as a kid, I don’t know—and as soon as they were off, they grabbed both of Colin’s hands and took him with them.

It’s hard not to glare at the showoffs as they disappear with the small crowd of people.

“Here.” Perry grips the half wall with one hand and reaches the other toward me. It barely extends halfway and there’s still a lot of ground to cover for someone determined not to move. “Just sort of … shuffle your feet.”

Given I saw what shuffling his feet did for him, I’ll skip that advice.

Right. Move.

I nudge one foot forward but it goes too fast and when I correct with my other, they threaten to go in opposite directions and it takes a moment of wobbling to get myself figured out.

This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done and that includes knowingly running into danger to protect the guy I kinda liked.

I remind myself that turned out for the best and this will too.

As soon as I’ve slid/rolled/wobbled/shuffled close enough, my hand closes over Perry’s. He grips tight and yanks me toward him. For one terrifying moment I go too fast, sure I’m about to fall, when Perry’s arms are there. He wraps me up in them and like every time he holds me, I’m in the greatest place on Earth.

“You did it!” He’s so happy his eyes are crinkled as he looks down at me, and I’m compelled to add, “I did something.”

Perry laughs and presses a long, sweet kiss to my lips. “So proud of you.”

“That was barely roller skating.”

“You’re wearing roller skates and you moved on them. How much closer can you get?”

He’s got me there. I’ve always said I don’t actually want to go roller skating, I just want to know that I can do. And I did it. Terribly.

Like that, I’m satisfied that I got what I came for, and the feeling ballooning in my chest gets to be too much. “Perry?”

“Yeah?”

My throat is tight as I swallow. “I love you.”

Surprise lights up his expression. “Oh, thank fuck! I was worried I was the only one.”

“What?”

“I’ve been hinting but you never seemed to pick up on any of them.”

For what’s supposed to be a romantic moment, he’s lost me, which means he’s right on track. “What do you mean?”

“For months now I’ve been like, “oh, I love that shirt on you, love love love it ” or “I love the way you pass me the sauce” or “love that for you, love .””

“I thought you were copying how Elle calls everyone love.”

Perry cackles, forehead resting on my shoulder as we keep our arms around each other in an attempt to stay standing. “Only you.” He pulls back to look at me again. “I love you so much that at one point I went for a heart checkup because I was sure there was something wrong with it.”

“You … what?”

He shrugs. “When you’ve been shot you never can be too careful.”

“Except you weren’t shot in the chest.”

That doesn’t deter him. “Hey, does this mean I’m cupid? I mean, I shot you and now you’re in love with me, so?— ”

“You’re not cupid.”

“Are you sure? I think there’s an argument there.”

I give in and humor him, because how can I not? He’s singlehandedly the most ridiculous person I’ve ever met, and it’s my favorite thing about him. “It was love at first shot.”

His jaw drops. “Now look who’s being cute with the puns,” he says, sounding awestruck.

“Seemed like your love language.”

“You know me well, pookie.”

I huff like the name is such an embarrassment. It’s not. “That’s stuck now, hasn’t it?”

“I’m sure I could think of something worse if you really hate it.”

I shut him up with a kiss. It’s how I win all our arguments and how I plan to win all future ones. Perry is easily distracted and kissing is his weakness.

He sighs against my mouth. “You really are perfect.”

“That’s because we match.”

He’s uncharacteristically quiet for a moment and I give us a little distance to read his face. Before I can ask, he whispers, “I’m going to marry you one day.”

Those body fluttering nerves fill me again. “Oh, yeah? You sound confident.”

“I am.” He looks me straight in the eyes. “Because you’re giving me that look.”

And I’ll give it to him forever. If he wants to marry me one day, that’s exactly what we’ll do.

Perry Nikov is himbo husband material. And he’s all mine.