Out of Line (Out of Line #1)(56)
Author: Jen McLaughlin

“Me?” She reared back and glowered at me, but the sparkle in her eye ruined the effect she was going for. “I think we need to worry about you, not me.”

I hugged her close. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She climbed off me and headed for the bathroom. “I’m going to go in here for a minute, and then you’re going to cook for me.”

“Is that all you want me for?” I rolled onto my stomach and grinned. “Food and sex?”

Her head poked out of the bathroom. “And booze.”

“Brat,” I called out.

She shut the door in my face and I laughed. When I stood up, I stretched my arms high over my head and made my way to the trash can to get rid of the condom. I couldn’t believe she’d forgiven me. Given me a chance to prove to her how much I could be trusted. Life couldn’t get any better than this.

After I stepped into my shorts, I heard my phone buzz. Padding across the room, I bent down and picked it up. I’d apparently missed a call earlier, and had a voicemail notification. When I recognized the number, I sank onto the bed and swallowed hard. This couldn’t be good news. I just knew it. Could feel it in my gut.

I hit the play message button, then listened to the brief but life-changing message. When it ended, I let my hand fall to my side. Fuck. This wasn’t going to be good, and it was going to make Carrie cry. I didn’t want to make her cry ever again.

But I couldn’t hide the truth from her. Not again.

The door opened and she came out wearing my favorite red shirt. The same one she’d worn twice already. I tossed my phone aside and plastered on a smile. “Damn, babe, you look better in that than I do.”

“You think?” She posed in the doorway, bending one perfect leg and shooting me a come get me smile. “I might just keep it. It smells like you.”

I stood up and swept her into my arms, hugging her as tightly as I could. “If you want it, it’s yours. Anything you want.”

“Well, then.” She lifted her face and smiled up at me, her eyes shining with tears. Happy tears. “All I want is you.”

I swallowed hard. “You got me.”

“I did,” she whispered, rising up on tiptoes and kissing me. “And now you need to feed me.”

She skipped toward the kitchen, and I followed her with a smile. After dinner, I would fill her in. Give her the news. But we could be blissfully happy for a few hours, right? Because right now, I was too busy being f**king happy that I’d gotten the girl of my dreams. The girl I loved, and who also loved me.

Imagine that.