Page 108 of Wild Card

“Just the beginning,” I finish for her before dropping a kiss to her back.

“Dear universe, I forgive you,” she murmurs with a delirious giggle, and I can’t help but shake my head.

Yeah, the universe messed with us. But it also gave usthis.

And we’re only getting started.

“We should get back down there,” I say, pulling myself back upright and taking her with me.

“Yeah, we really should. I’m missing my own party.”

I grunt at that, dropping a kiss beside her ear. “Strikes me that the party just moved up here and no one else was invited.”

She shimmies slightly and I pull out of her, biting down on my lip when my cum trails down her inner thigh. I could watch that all day.

Gwen peeks back at me now. “Grab me a towel? Or just stand there and stare again?”

I tuck myself back into my underwear, tugging up my pants as I gawk. “Honestly, I might just…” I step back, motioninglike I’m going to take a seat again. Then I shoot her my best mischievous grin.

Her lips pop open, and her eyes flare with faux anger as she tugs her skirt back down. “Sebastian Rousseau!”

“Shame. You’re obstructing my view,” I quip, taking one last long look over her before I turn and dart inside to get a warm washcloth. The sound of her laughter trails behind me and I find myself smiling at absolutely nothing.

In the en suite, I run the cloth under warm water and catch sight of myself in the mirror. Mussed hair, flushed cheeks. But something else about me looks different. Something less tangible.

Happy.

I squint like that couldn’t be right. But it’s written all over me, plain as day.

For the first time in a long time, I’m happy.

I blink and shake my head at myself before striding back out to the balcony where I crouch to clean Gwen. She fusses with my hair as I do, putting it back to rights.

“There,” I announce quietly before coming back to stand. “She’s ready for round three.”

Gwen slaps my shoulder playfully before pushing past me. I follow her back into my room and she spins on me. “You go first.”

“What?”

“You go back down first. In case there’s someone in the hallway. It’s not weird for you to be leaving your own room.”

I sober at the thought of running into someone and having to explain myself. “I can’t imagine anyone would come up here,” I reply, buttoning my fresh denim shirt.

She shrugs and pulls me close for a breathless kiss. “Then there’s no problem. I just need a minute to get cleaned up.”

I give her a sure nod and a quick squeeze on her hip as I lean in for one parting kiss. Her lips are soft, and she smells like lavender. I love just being close to her.

Which is why walking away from her is so damn hard. I glance back over my shoulder as I leave the room. She’s smiling at me, looking pleased as punch.

When the door clicks shut behind me, I sigh and step into the hallway, ready to play off my absence like it wasn’t unusually long.

I make it to the top of the stairs before I run into Tripp.

“Hey,” he says, eyes scanning me a little too thoroughly. I remember what Gwen said earlier and resist the urge to tug my collar higher over the mark on my neck. “I was looking for you.”

“What’s up?” I ask, keeping it light as I clap him on the shoulder and turn him back toward the stairwell.

We walk down side by side.