We got back to Easton’s after a reasonably stressful drive in the snow, and I was still processing all that had happened on our non-date. We walked into his penthouse, and Easton went over to the fireplace while I ruminated about the conversations we’d had this afternoon. The new sides to Easton I’d seen. That shitty story about Brad outing him, and what he’d said when I’d asked about what he was reading. I was still thinking over the words he’d used and must’ve been pulling a face because I heard a scoff from somewhere in the big room.

“Wow, I know I messed up the date, but I didn’t know you’d be that upset.” He was trying to be funny, but I could tell he was also wondering if my mood had shifted somehow. I was being weird, standing by the door with my coat still on. I shook of my brooding and went to hang my stuff by the door, then walked up to him. He was standing by the fireplace, looking unsure and like he was regretting all the things he’d shared today.

When I finally got to him I wrapped an arm around his waist and used my other hand to smooth out the worry lines in his face. “Your romantic date planning is...interesting.” He huffed even as he pressed closer to me. He loved getting close enough that he had to tilt his head up to look at me. I twisted my mouth to the side, trying not to grin at the redness creeping up his neck. “You do have me feeling some type of way, Mr. Archer.”

“Oh. What way is that, then?” he asked, hooking his leg with mine. The utter delight in his voice made me shake my head. I didn’t know how Easton could stay like this, like he was untouched by the shit I knew very well he came in contact with constantly. The things that I now knew had been done to him. He was resilient and strong, so fucking strong. He kept opening his heart, even when he knew it could be trampled.

I placed my hand under his chin and I brought his face up for a kiss. As we grazed our tongues together, the thought that kept trying to edge out my usual doom and gloom creeped in again.

Maybe this could work.

Maybe we had enough here to go on, to build something. I took both his hands in mine as we kissed, our fingers intertwined between us as we tasted each other. Moments like this with Easton shut the world out, and that would never stop being a revelation for me.