“I…uh, tossed them. Yours and Denny’s.” I’d even tossed my spare key, the hidden one only Evan knew about. I wasn’t sure why, I’d just…needed it all to be gone. I was alone, so why would I need multiples of…anything. My gaze dropped to the floor as darkness swirled in my mind. “There was just something about having them in my home that I couldn’t…I couldn’t stomach.” With a hard swallow, I let the past go and looked up at her. “But I can get some more made. Get you your own key…if you’re comfortable with that?” Please say yes.

“I’m…” Pausing, she bit her lip. “Do you think we’re ready for that, Kellan?”

I nodded before she even finished her question. “Yes, absolutely. It’s…it’s the next step, Kiera. The next step forward. You want that, right?” Not wanting her to think I was revisiting our conversation about living together, I quickly added, “‘Cause it’s not moving in together, it’s just…opening our homes to each other. We’re still separate, still going slow, but still…moving forward.”

I felt jittery as I waited for her answer. Saying yes to taking the key for one afternoon was great, but saying yes to always keeping one on her…that was big for us. My nerves didn’t evaporate until a wide smile graced her lips. “Okay, Kellan.”

Before I could stop the reaction, my mouth dropped open in surprise. “You’re saying yes?”

Laughing, she laced her arms around my neck. “Yes, I’m saying yes. You’re right, this is an important step, one that we should definitely take. And I’ll make a copy of my key too, then you can come over whenever you want,” she added with a shrug.

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pulled her tighter. “Like late at night, after my shows?” Slipping into her bed was one of my favorite things, and with a key it was going to be so much easier. Not able to resist teasing her, I added, “When you’re in bed, all warm and naked, thinking of me…touching yourself…”

Pulling back, she lightly smacked my shoulder. “Kellan! I don’t sleep naked…you know that.” She flushed a little after saying it, and I had to smile that that was the comment she objected to.

“And what about the…other thing?” I asked, lifting my eyebrows. Just the thought of Kiera touching herself, thinking about me, made my blood surge, my body harden. Now, I was definitely undressing her before I left.

Kiera’s flush deepened, and instead of answering my question—or denying it—she said, “You should go…you’re going to be late meeting the guys.”