Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Love… He’s right. He’s so right.
“I would have done the same,” Damien said. He held Robby’s hand in his. He kissed the top of his head. Warmth radiated from them. “And if the world were ending, I know I’d want to be right next to Robby. It’s the same for you two. It’s as clear as day. This is the timeline you two deserve, and it’s the one you did everything in your power to keep. Plus, you stopped the Time Turners from completing their goal. You saved us all in the process of saving Blake.” Damien smiled wide, his expression filled with pride as he looked at his younger brother. “I love you, X. I love both of you.”
“Thanks, big bro. I love you too.”
Robby gave a stretch and a yawn. It was clear that the exhaustion of the day’s events was catching up to all of us. Damien stood up and helped Robby off the couch. They left together, leaving just me and Xavier in the large living room. I looked out at the desert through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It looked so peaceful and calm, which was a shocking contrast to the intense fight that had occurred only a couple of feet away from us. I leaned back on the couch and rested my head against the cool stone of the rocks that made up the wall behind us. Bambi and Lily were cuddled up together on a fluffy pillow underneath a potted fig tree, completely oblivious to the chaos that had just occurred.
“How ya feeling?” I asked Xavier, cuddling up a little closer to him. It felt good. Being here, sitting with him on the couch, my feet under his leg. It wasn’t as if I had just died hours earlier, which was absolutely wild to me.
“I’m feeling great. Glad it’s all over. Happy you’re here with me.” He had an arm around my shoulders. The weight of him felt nice. Felt like home. “It was scary. Not going to lie.”
“I can’t even imagine. What you had to see… what you had to do.”
“I’d do it all over again if it meant saving you.”
“I never want you being put in that position. Let’s keep things chill from now on. Maybe we can open up a little coffee shop near the beach or something. Stay away from any big conspiracies and plots to end the world.”
“I think that sounds like a great idea. What would we name the shop?”
“The Dragon’s Roost. A play of roast, plus dragons. I think it’s a win.”
“That’s actually genius. Have you been thinking of this?”
I shook my head and chuckled. “Literally just came up with it now.”
“You’re so smart. And kind. And funny. And so fucking perfect.” Xavier locked eyes with me. There was a loaded weight to his gaze. His full lips twitched upward. I moved a rogue curl of hair back into place, rubbing the back of his head, loving the soft texture threaded through my fingers. “And you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
My heart swelled at hearing that. Someone must have been dicing invisible onions near us because tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. “And you’re my everything.”
He leaned in. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he paused inches away, a hand rising to cup my face. His thumb gently rubbed my cheek. “I love you, Blake. With my entire being.”
His words swept me up and sent me soaring through the stars. I’d been feeling the same thing for a while now, but putting it into words made me nervous in ways I couldn’t quite explain.
Not now. Not anymore. The nerves disintegrated, leaving nothing but elation in its place.
“I love you too, X. You’ve helped me grow; you’ve helped me see that there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. I never thought I’d open myself up like this to anyone. I thought that part of my soul had been hurt beyond repair. But you showed me it’s okay to trust again. To let someone in and to give that same emotion back. You’ve helped me heal—in so many different ways. I can’t imagine going through life without you. I love you so, so much.”
Xavier’s grin reached from ear to ear. His hand moved to the back of my neck as he leaned in for a kiss. If someone had told me the couch we were sitting on had grown wings and flown us up into the clouds, I would have believed them. I never wanted this kiss to stop. I moved closer to him, my fingers lost in his curls.
This was true love. This was a happy ending. This was everything I’d ever wanted and so much more.
“So what happens next?” I asked when the kiss came to an end.