Page 81 of The Loves We Lost

Gingerly, I grab her from her spot in the corner of the sofa and tug her until she is sitting astraddle me. Everything in me aches as I do it, but the pain is worth it to have her close. Squeezing her thighs, I look up at her. “You’ll come for a month?”

“It’s time for me to accept that you’re here, we kiss, and do other things and—”

A grin escapes me. “Other things?”

“You know what I mean,” she says, but her cheeks blush a cute pink.

“We haven’t done half theother thingsI want to do with you yet.”

“Let me finish,” she says, reaching for my hair to give it a gentle tug. “I guess what I mean is—”

My phone ringing cuts her off. It’s the ring tone I use for King. I know deep down I should answer it. But I feel like Vi’s about to say something really fucking important that I don’t want to miss.

“Ignore that,” I say. “What did you mean?”

“I mean we are doing all the things a couple would do except actually calling this a relationship. Because that’s what this would be, right?”

I tug her until our chests meet and her head nestles in the crook of my neck. My hands stroke up her T-shirt before I slide my hand beneath the cotton. “Yeah, buttercup. A relationship with you sounds really fucking good.”

My phone rings again.

“Do you need to answer that?” Vi’s tone has cooled. I don’t want her shields to go back up, and I’m fucking furious at the intrusion, even as I answer.

“I do. One sec ... Prez. What’s up?”

“When are you coming home?”

“I’m working on that.” I eye Vi carefully.

“Tomorrow? This week? We got something we need to do.”

“I’m still pretty busted up, but I can ride. When?” There’s a pause, and I hear King tell Rae to go upstairs and wait for him naked. “That’s more info than I need to be hearing, Prez.”

“Yeah, well, I got a stubborn woman who doesn’t realize when she’s stuck in her own head. Sometimes I gotta fuck her out of it to prove I can.”

I eye Vi carefully as I consider his words. “Yeah. I know how that goes.”

“Can I count you in? Forty-eight hours. Wanna get it done before the Fourth of July cookout.”

I do the math in my head. Hadn’t realized it was the Fourth so soon.

“I’ll be there in two days.”

“Good. Will do the guys good to see you. A brother getting hit like that unsettles everyone. See you then.”

As we hang up, I realize for the first time that I’m torn between doing what I need to for my club and what I need to for the two of us. “You think you’ll be ready if we leave the day after tomorrow? I want you in my home, for a summer vacation or forever. We’ll stay at my place, hang out with the club so you can see how it could be.”

“Will I like what you’re doing? What you’re going back for?”

“Probably not. But you and me, we aren’t going to figure this out if you’re here and I’m there. And I’m gonna need you to admit to me that you want to try, despite what I’m gonna goand do. Otherwise, I’ll drag my ass onto the back on one of my brother’s bikes and ride back home.”

“Tonight?”

I look her straight in the eye. “Sticking around another night will just make it harder to leave. I need you to be all in if you try.”

Vi takes a deep breath. I can see the cogs working in her brain. “Okay. I’ll be ready. I can tell Avery tomorrow and use the time she’s away to pack. It’s safer for all of us. I’m all in for trying.”

I cup her cheeks and kiss her tenderly. “You’ll not regret it. I promise you.”