Page 19 of His Little Secret in Discretion

And yet—

I still found myself walking into the bedroom, ignoring Killian’s rationale that I barely knew her, ignoring her words about how men like me don’t look twice at women like her—ignoring the poetic bullshit in my own head about why this would never work.

Leaning against the wall, I tilted my head, watching her pack her things into a worn duffel bag. She glanced at me, cautious, and I asked:

“Got a pair of sneakers in that bag?”

She froze, then nodded.

I beckoned her closer with two fingers. She bit her lip and obeyed.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I bent my head to hers. “I don’t live in the real world,” I muttered.

Her brows knit.

“I live in fairytales. The ones that make life less predictable, less bleak. The ones where a ray of Sunshine makes me feel alive in this dark, miserable world.”

Her lips pressed together, a smile fighting to form. “Didn’t take you for a poet.”

“Eh. It slips out now and then.” She finally smiled, and I tugged her closer. “Besides, that ray of Sunshine also rides like a goddamn cowgirl. How could I ever give you up?”

She shoved me back, laughing, shaking her head. “Way to ruin the moment.”

I chuckled, pulling her against me again, smothering her neck with kisses until her giggles turned into breathless protests.

“Lace up your sneakers,” I murmured against her skin. “We’re going to the gym for a little…”

Her cheeks flushed, but she nodded, slipping free to dig into her bag.

Killian’s voice echoed in my head, sharp as ever, and I swore my eyes darkened as I watched her move, lowering herself gracefully, oblivious to the hunger she was stirring in me.

I don’t get possessive. I don’t get attached. I don’t get territorial.

I’m impulsive. Spontaneous. Charming. Humorous. Handsome—Focus, Blaine.

But Sunshine was different.Maiawas different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew what I wanted…what I needed.

And for all Killian’s logic, for all the reality she tried to feed me, it didn’t matter.

Because the truth was simple:

She wasn’t just a woman I met one night. That one, reckless, magical night gave me a fairytale…and she was fucking mine.

Chapter eight

Blaine

“Give me one more, Sunshine. You can do it, baby,” I coaxed, my hands hovering at her waist.

“I can’t… I can’t…” she panted, whimpers breaking between shallow breaths. Her body trembled, arms giving out as her grip slipped.

“You can, baby. You’ve got this,” I murmured, but her hands let go of the bar and she collapsed straight into my arms.

Her face was flushed from exertion, skin damp with sweat, strands of blonde sticking to her temples. Gently, I set her down, brushing a curl behind her ear.

“That was five pull-ups, Sunshine.”

She huffed, grabbing her water bottle. “I can do more. I’m a dancer, you know. You were watching me and making me nervous!”