“Well, if your horoscope says it, it must be true …”

“Between that and my bracelet, I’ve got this.” His eyes soften, and he steps forward, pulling me into his arms. God, it feels good to be here. So good that I refuse to remind myself of how limited our time like this might be. “You’re sexy when you worry about me,” Perry says.

“I’m even sexier when my nerves aren’t on edge.”

His lips brush the side of my neck. “I’m sure I’ll find that out one day.”

“Soon, hopefully.”

“That’s why I’m doing this, you know.” The brown of his eyes is so earnest and warm I want to wrap myself in it. Those gorgeous eyelashes fan out, and it’s so hard to think of Perry as anything but this innocent, precious man who triggers my urge to protect him.

I cup his chin, and we stand there, looking at each other, my heart trying to beat its way to him.

He clears his throat and says in a voice two notches deeper than usual, “Your shoulder is the perfect spot for my face.”

“My shoulder?”

He nods. “And when I get worried about pulling this next part off, I just need to look at you because I know you’ll be looking at me, and when you do … it’s like you think I can do anything. No one’s ever looked at me like that before.”

“You can.” I hate admitting that. I hate going against my worry and encouraging this, but it’s true. If anyone can pull this off, it’s him. It’s the if part that worries me though, and what if no one can pull this off? There’s no way I can lose him, and all I know is that there are so many things I want to say to him that I’ll always regret if I never get the chance.

So I break down those thoughts.

Ignore the way it makes me feel sick to be vulnerable.

And I channel Perry and the way he can do anything.

“I want us to be more,” I say. “Once this is over, I want us to be dating. Properly. No games. We’ve had enough of that. I don’t think I’ve ever had someone I want in my life the way I want you, and I think we can do it. After all this, I really think we can get through anything.”

My heartbeat is so insistent it’s making me feel sick, but with every word I get out, Perry’s smile grows.

“Why wait?” he asks. Then he leans in, lips pressing to mine, and he kisses me in a way that gives me hope. That makes me really believe we can get through this. “You’re already mine, pookie,” he mutters against my mouth.