Page 17

17

Ripley

I hover by Juniper’s bedroom door for a moment, heart pounding, breath caught in my throat. I heard her little voice through the crack—the words I wish I had a mother like you —and for an instant, it felt like the floor vanished beneath me. Slowly, I back away, give them a moment, and let Kali handle it. But my chest tightens with an overwhelming mixture of longing and hope.

Because I want that too. I want her . Not just for myself, but for Juniper. And it hits me like a fastball straight to the heart: I love Kali.

I’m still trying to process that when Kali slips out of Juniper’s room. She moves softly, like she’s afraid of making noise, but there’s a tension in her shoulders that tells me how much that little conversation affected her. She meets my gaze across the living room, something raw and tender shining in her eyes. Slowly, she crosses to the couch and sinks down beside me, not quite meeting my gaze yet. I can see the swirl of emotion in her expression, mirroring what’s coursing through me.

My throat feels tight. Say something, Ripley. But instead of words, I slide an arm around her waist and tug her closer. She leans in willingly, resting a hand on my chest. The warmth of her palm sends a pleasant shiver down my spine. For a moment, neither of us speaks, just breathes in the hush of the room, the only light coming from a small lamp in the corner.

“She’s okay,” Kali says quietly, fiddling with the neckline of my T-shirt. Her voice trembles, and I can tell she’s still emotional.

“I know.” I smooth a hand over her hair, the soft strands slipping through my fingers. “And she’s right about you. You’re… incredible with her.”

She lifts her gaze then, those deep eyes full of something that makes my heart feel too big for my chest. “I just… I don’t want to overstep. But I care about her so much. And you.” Her voice catches. “I want this—both of you—in my life.”

My chest constricts at how badly I want that too. Carefully, I slide my hand down to her chin, tilt her face up. There’s a question in her eyes, and I answer it by leaning in, pressing my lips to hers. The kiss is gentle at first, a slow brush of mouths, but it’s enough to send a surge of heat coursing through me. She tastes faintly of the wine we had with dinner and something else, something purely Kali that I’ve come to crave.

When our mouths part, I keep my forehead against hers. “I’m not sure how to do this,” I admit, voice gruff. “I mean, I want you. And I know Juniper does too, in her own way. But… is it too fast? Are we rushing?”

She exhales a shaky laugh, brushing her fingers along my jaw. “It might be fast,” she says softly, “but it also feels… right. Like we’ve been headed here from the moment we met.”

I close my eyes, relief and desire tangling up in my chest. “I’m so glad you feel that way,” I whisper, then I pull back just enough to look at her. “Because I want this, Kali. I want to figure it out—me, you, and Juniper, together. I want you in my life. Every day.”

Her eyes glisten, and she leans in to kiss me again, deeper this time. My hand slips to her waist, sliding beneath the hem of her shirt to rest on the warm skin at her lower back. She makes a soft sound, one that sends a flare of electricity racing through my veins. God, she feels so good in my arms. Like she’s meant to be there.

I tug her closer, and she shifts so that she’s practically in my lap now, one knee pressing into the cushions beside me. The couch creaks with the movement, but neither of us cares. She runs her hands over my shoulders, up the back of my neck, tangling her fingers in my hair. A low groan rumbles in my chest, and I deepen the kiss, our breaths mingling in the warm air.

“Kali,” I murmur between kisses, “I swear, I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.”

Her response is to kiss me harder, and I slide my hands up her sides, my thumbs grazing the edge of her bra. She gasps softly, arching against me, and my heart just about explodes at the realization that she trusts me, wants me.

We break apart for air, both of us breathing heavily, eyes locked. Her cheeks are flushed, and her pupils are blown wide with desire. I press my forehead to hers, trying to gather my scattered thoughts.

“Ripley,” she manages, voice trembling, “I… I want this. I want to be with you.”

“Yeah?” A grin breaks across my face, relief and excitement surging. “You sure?”

She snorts a tiny laugh. “I’ve never been more sure. I mean… I was afraid it was all in my head, that you’d see me as just a fling, or worry I couldn’t handle Juniper?—”

“Hey, no.” I cup her face, forcing her to look at me. “I’ve been worried you’d run the second you realized how complicated my life can be. You’ve got your own career, your own dreams.”

She shakes her head adamantly. “Complicated’s okay if it’s real.” Then she swallows, eyes suddenly shining with tears. “And this is definitely real.”

I draw her in for another kiss, tasting the salt of a single tear that escapes down her cheek. It’s not sadness, though, I can feel the joy behind it, the release of tension we’ve both been fighting. My arms tighten around her, like I can’t hold her close enough.

We make out like that for what feels like hours, hands roaming but still mindful of the fact that Juniper is asleep down the hall. The intensity flares, and each kiss grows more heated, more desperate. She rocks against me, and I feel her heartbeat thudding in sync with mine. Every brush of her lips sends a delicious ache through my body, and I’m half tempted to carry her to my bedroom right now.

As if reading my mind, Kali slides off my lap just enough to catch her breath, cheeks still flushed. “We should… probably talk about how this is going to work,” she says, voice husky. “Like, with Juniper, and boundaries, and… everything.”

I nod, still trying to steady my pulse. “Yeah. We’ll figure it out. Together.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against my side. She rests her head on my chest, her fingers idly tracing circles on my forearm. It’s so domestic, so sweet, that a part of me aches with gratitude. I never thought I’d have this—a real chance at love, with someone who gets me and isn’t scared off by my life.

After a few beats of comfortable silence, she lifts her head. “So… we’re doing this, right? Exclusively?”

Relief sweeps through me. “Absolutely,” I say, pressing a kiss to her temple. “No question.”

Her smile lights up the room, and she snuggles closer. “Good. Because I’ve already broken the news to Bristol that I’m completely gone for you and Juniper.”

I laugh, exhilarated at the thought that she’s telling people about us. My heart feels almost too big for my chest. “Guess I’ll have to let Hattie know we’re official. She’s gonna tease the hell out of me, but hey, she’s on board.”

Kali tilts her chin up to kiss me again, and this time it’s gentler. I cradle her face, matching her unhurried pace, savoring the warmth of her lips and the taste of her. When we part, we rest in the quiet, bodies tangled in the space of my living room couch, hearts finally on the same page.

“I’m yours,” I murmur, brushing a stray hair from her cheek. “And Juniper… well, she adores you. I think we’re stuck with you now.”

She giggles, eyes shining. “Good. I was hoping to be stuck.”

With that I pull her in for another lingering kiss, and then we head off down to my bedroom.