Page 23

Jareth

" S ay it again," I growl, my thumb against Zoya's clit as she writhes beneath me.

"I love you."

I groan, slamming into her hard enough to scoot her up the bed an inch. That isn't what she's supposed to be saying…but I fucking love hearing it anyway. "Say the other thing," I demand, nipping at her shoulder.

"Your grape is amazing."

I bury my face in her throat, laughing.

Her soft giggle hits me right in the heart. Christ, I'm not going to survive without her. I already know I won't. I'm trying like hell to keep it together because I know how anxious she is about leaving, but I'm hanging on by a thread.

"I'll call you every day," she says. "Five times a day."

It won't be enough to satisfy me. Until she's in my arms again, nothing will.

I pump my hips, fucking her like a madman until she's coming all over me. That doesn't satisfy me either, so I flip her onto her hands and knees before yanking her back on my cock again.

She sobs my name, clawing at the sheets.

I drive into her again and again with my lips against her neck. "I'm going to lose my mind without you, Zoya. Every fucking minute of the day."

"Jareth," she whimpers.

I wrap her hair around my fist, craning her head back. "Are you going to keep my pussy ready for me?"

"Yes!" she sobs.

"You going to dream about me while you do it?"

"God, yes."

I groan again, taking her lips in a deep kiss as I move inside her, wrecking both of us. When she comes this time, I fall over the edge with her, pumping her full of cum.

She chants my name like a prayer, falling forward.

I follow her down, shifting her around until she's draped across my chest, panting for breath. She clings to me like she never wants to let me go, and I know I've made the right decision. I've made the only decision that I can live with.

"Five months," she whispers.

I should tell her…but I don't. Not until all the pieces are in place. Not until it's a done deal.

"We'll make it," I say instead.

"Yeah," she says, lifting her head to smile at me, her eyes clear and confident. "We will."

"I love you," I murmur, tucking a curl behind her ear.

Her expression softens. "I love you, too."

I pull her back down to me, holding her tightly until Connor raps on the door, letting us know it's time to go.

Zoya tenses in my arms, sighing softly.

"We'll make it," I remind her.

"I know, but that doesn't make goodbye any less painful."

She isn't wrong about that.

W atching her get on the plane fucking kills me, but I do it. I don't take my eyes off the damn thing until it's a tiny speck in the sky, barely even visible.

"We'll make it," I whisper, more to give myself strength than anything.

I fucking need it right now. Jesus. I knew watching her go would be hard, but this is torture.

And that's exactly why I'm doing what I am.

Because as scared as she's been…well, she needs to prove to herself that she can do this. At least for a little while.

It damn sure won't be five months, though. With any luck, it'll be more like two weeks.

I'm not afraid of losing her. That won't happen. I'm afraid of falling the fuck apart without her. She's the laughter in my life, the joy. I need her by my side the same damn way she needs me by hers. If I have to uproot and upend everything to give us what we need, then I'm doing it.

My dad is waiting when I finally turn around to head back to the truck. He meets my gaze, his full of concern. "You good, son?"

"Fuck no," I rasp. "I feel like I just said goodbye to half of my heart."

He strides forward, clasping my shoulder. "Then I guess we've got some work to do to get you back to her in two weeks, don't we?"

"Yeah." I clear my throat, nodding. "Fuck, yeah, we do."

"Does she know?"

"No. I don't want her to know until it's done.

" I told her I wasn't going anywhere, but I lied.

My place isn't here while she's in Tennessee.

It's not out on tour, either. I figured that shit out the day I met her.

Soon enough, she will, too. We've been working our asses off to arrange things to get me back to her as soon as possible.

She isn't finished school alone. She'll be doing it by my side.

My dad nods, grinning at me. "Your mom and I raised one hell of a man. You're going to make a damn good husband and father, Jareth."

Jesus.

I clear my throat, pulling him into a hug. "Thank you."

He just grins, patting me on the back.