She laughed. “Well, I’m wet just thinking about what we’ll do tomorrow. Does that help?”

His face went dark. “No, you jerk! Now I’m gonna have a full boner. All day! And night.”

Her laughter shook the bed as she lay on her side, meeting his gaze. “I’m not sorry.”

“I know you’re not.”

She grinned as he pulled the covers to his chest. Reaching out, he held her face, his thumb moving along her bottom lip as they stared into each other’s eyes. His words from earlier hung between them, and she couldn’t agree more. There was no way either of them could plan the future, but damn it, she wanted to try. She just prayed the stars would align and everything would work out.

Inhaling deeply, she said, “I have a meeting with Elli Adler on Monday for a job with the Assassins.”

His eyes widened a bit. “Really?”

“Yeah. So here is the plan.” His lips curved as she grinned over at him. “I get the job, you get a spot on the team, and boom, we’re good.”

He held his fist out, and she bumped it. “Solid plan. I’m down.”

So was she.

One hundred percent.

Markus woke because his phone went off.

He should have reached over and checked it, but once his eyes were open and on Mekena, nothing else mattered. She looked so beautiful, like an angel sleeping on a cloud of happiness. Her mouth was turned at the side, a little drool dripping from her lips as her eyelashes brushed her cheeks. Reaching out, he ran his hand along her chin just to make sure she was real. That this was real. Them, in the bed.

Like he had hoped, she was nice and warm, breathing sweetly as he drank her in. His breath caught as he wondered what would happen in the next couple days. In a way, he felt like he had whiplash. One second, he’d thought he’d never have a chance even to speak to her. Then he thought he only wanted closure for her sake, and he thought he would never have her. Within a day, all that changed, and now, he was staring into the face of his forever. God, he wanted her. For the rest of his God-given life. But could it even work out?

Would he get added to the roster for the Assassins? Would she get the job with the team? Could they make it work? It almost seemed way too good to be true. As if it couldn’t all happen. But what if it was fate? What if their fate was to be together? She wanted to be home, and he wanted to be home too. Couldn’t it just work out, and they’d be home—together? Happy? After all this time in hell, after all the shit Skylar had put them through, could they have this?

Or was that too much to ask for?

But if Nashville didn’t work out for both of them, could they do long distance? It was hard on Claire and Jude, he knew that, saw it firsthand, but they made it work because they loved each other. He loved Mekena, so damn much, and he didn’t care how the hell they made it work as long as they did. They had to. There was no other option—at least, not one he could accept. He wanted to be with her; he just hoped she felt the same. He thought she did, and he hoped he wasn’t just assuming things.

But deep inside, he felt like he wasn’t.

But she was still so young. There were four years between them. It hadn’t felt like much back in college, but what if he was in a different place than she was? He was looking for forever while she was just looking to fool around, date a bit? But even as he thought it, it seemed silly to him. Mekena had always been more mature than him. She was smart, she knew what she wanted, and he was starting to think he was overthinking this. Maybe he should just enjoy what they had, figure things out together, and fight for them.

He cupped her jaw before touching his lips to hers. He went to pull back, but her arms came around him, and soon her mouth was moving with his. Edging closer, he pressed himself into her, running his hands down her back and grabbing her ass as he deepened the kiss, unable to get enough of her succulent mouth. Her eyes fluttered open as a lazy smile spread over her sweet lips.

“Well, good morning.”

He grinned. “Hey there.”

As she leaned back into the pillow, her grin was unstoppable. “I almost thought last night was a dream. This is a great reminder that it wasn’t.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” he said, squeezing her ass. “How do you feel?”

She shrugged. “I guess, like I had sex for the first time.”

“Still sore?”

She grinned. “It doesn’t feel normal. Not sore, but definitely not normal.” He nodded, pressing himself against her before her breath caught. “Well, good morning again.”

He laughed, leaning his head into hers. “I don’t want to leave this bed.”

“I don’t either,” she whispered, her lips moving against his cheek. “And why are we awake? It’s only seven.” His brows pulled together as he angled back, looking at her. “I thought you set the alarm for nine.”

“I did,” he said, confused. Why was he awake?

Oh! His phone.

“My phone went off,” he said, letting her go. But as he moved, he felt someone staring at him. He looked at the end of the bed to find Mr. Right sitting there, staring at him. “Mekena.”

Her hand came to the middle of his back as she said, “Huh?”

He nodded his head to the cat. “Is he going to lunge and kill me?”

Sitting up on her elbows, she laughed and her head fell back. “No. He’s hungry.”

He made a face, looking back at her. “He’s always hungry.”

“Welcome to my life.”

“He needs to go on a diet.”

“Again, welcome to my life.”

He laughed. “Can you not tell him no?”

Her face filled with distress. “It’s hard.”

“Is that why you slept with me? You couldn’t tell me no?” he teased, and she rewarded him with a deadpan expression.

“I attacked you, remember? I got naked? Shit, was I not that memorable?”

His head fell back as he laughed. “Oh, that’s right.” Leaning over, he pressed his lips to hers. “And baby, everything about you is memorable.”

She pushed him away as he laughed again before reaching for his phone to find there was a notification from the Assassins’ NHL application. “Oh, it’s the team app.”

“Team app?”