17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Jordan

F inally.

That was the first thought to pop into my brain the second my lips descended on Nick’s.

When Kyle tried to block me, literally moving in on Nick, fuck, my blood pumped hotter than a wood-burning stove, and I’d reacted.

I didn’t regret a damn thing.

Everything else melted away with Nick’s lips on mine. The taste of him—chocolate and whisky—the decadent feel of his mouth. God, I could kiss him forever.

“What the fuck?” Kyle’s annoying voice snapped me out of the moment.

When I pulled back, Nick stared at me, eyes wide.

Oh, shit. He wasn’t the only one staring. The rest of the town, right.

About half the crowd of people in the town hall gaped at us. Conversations stopped. Will still had the snowman in his mouth at the bobbing for snowmen setup. Maybe I should’ve picked a less flashy way of coming out, but I didn’t give a fuck .

I ran my thumb over Nick’s lower lip. “Was that okay?”

“Mmhmm,” he said, though his tensed shoulders screamed otherwise.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. Already Mrs. Hendricks and JoBeth veered our way, guaranteed with questions, but my focus was on Nick.

“J, everyone knows we’re hooking up now,” he hissed, glancing at the encroaching crowd.

“Since when are you gay?” Kyle asked.

“Bi, and shut up, Kyle,” I said. I brushed my lips against Nick’s again. “Did you not want them to know?” My chest tightened. If he didn’t want this—

“I do.” His hazel eyes glowed with a vulnerability that strummed at my insides.

Fuck it. I leaped.

“I’m in love with you, Nick Levine, and I’m proud the whole town knows.”

Nick’s eyes widened, and the most gorgeous grin stretched his lips. “Dammit, J. I should be surprised, but this is the most you way of coming out.” He leaned in, so close his lips skimmed against my ear. “I love you too.”

I let out a whoop and crushed his body to mine in a hug. He nuzzled into my shoulder, and hell, ballooning pride swelled my chest. I was the luckiest fucker on the damn planet. I wanted to bask in this moment forever.

“Jordan, are you and Nick together?” Mom asked.

Right, we were standing before the main Christmas tree in the middle of the town hall in front of all those nosy fuckers. I pulled back from Nick to look at my mom and dad, who’d walked up along with Sadie .

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis.” Nick grabbed his nape. Fuck, he was so cute.

“Yeah, Nick’s my boyfriend,” I said. Butterflies exploded in my chest. “Hey, Nick, this is my mom and dad,” I joked.

Nick jabbed me in the side with his elbow. “I’m well aware.”

“Hunh, this makes sense,” Sadie said, then wandered away. I shook my head, amusement filtering through me. Mom stared at me with a softness in her eyes that made me squirm. The woman had x-ray vision.

“I’d say welcome to the family, but you’ve been around for a while.” Dad clapped a hand on Nick’s shoulder.

“I’m happy you figured it out.” Mom squeezed my hand.

My heart twisted hard. Fuck. Somehow I’d been searching for him, for this connection without realizing it, and finding it meant everything. I passed him a glance, and he shared a lopsided smile. We needed to get out of the crowd before we got mobbed.

“Mom, Dad, we’ll come over for dinner and twenty questions soon, but I’m dragging my boyfriend somewhere private.” I took Nick’s hand and tugged.

Mom shook her head. “Didn’t need to know that, Jordan.”

I snorted and waved with my free hand as I speed-walked away from my family. Geraldine was approaching with Barkasaurus Rex in hand and questions in her gaze, but I didn’t have time for her bullshit. I dragged Nick to the side of the town hall into one of the supply closets and flipped on the light.

“Thought you just came out of the closet,” Nick joked.

Lightness thrummed through me. That. That was exactly why Nick and I were meant to be together. He didn’t try to force me to be serious when I wasn’t ready, but he also hadn’t hesitated to drop some truths on my ass too .

“You know, if we stayed out there, we’d get swarmed,” I said. “And I wanted some time with my boyfriend.”

Nick snorted, his eyes twinkling. “You’re going to be insufferable with that word, aren’t you?”

“Mmm, I’ve never had a boyfriend.” I stepped in closer, closer, closer until his back hit the wall, and then I grazed my lips against his. “I think I’m going to like it.”

“I’m not dreaming, am I?” Nick asked, his voice hoarse.

I shook my head and took his advice. Because sometimes seriousness was necessary. “I’d been feeling empty for a while now, aimless, searching for something after my last breakup. Before then, really. I hadn’t realized then, but I was looking for you.”

Nick’s eyes grew glossy, and his breath hitched. “You’ve got to warn a bastard before you start wielding the serious talk, J. If I’m being honest, I think I was always a little bit in love with you. You’re this magnetic force, and I’d been drawn to your orbit from the moment we met. But I never for a second believed you might be interested in me like that…and when you were? Fuck, I fell so hard I still have the bruises.”

“Only bruises I want on you are the ones I leave.” I waggled my brows.

“I still have the ones on my hips,” he said, a hint of mischief in his gaze. Fuck, I was so smitten with this man.

“Shit, really?” I yanked at the waistband of his pants and boxer briefs, trying to get a glimpse.

“Knock it off.” He batted at my hand. “We can’t get away with fucking in here. Not with the whole town looking for us after that spectacle.”

“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not.” I shrugged. “Kyle was trying to make a move on you, and I couldn’t help myself. ”

“Yeah, that was hot as fuck,” Nick said. He tugged his hair out of the band and finger-combed the strands a few times before starting to wind it back.

“Ungh, you can’t do that in front of me.” My cock was stiffening at the sight of his long hair splayed out. I itched to tug it.

He wrapped the elastic band around his bun to contain it and gave it a light pull. “What, you mean that?”

“Fucking tease,” I growled, leaning in to kiss him again. Nick tasted like sweetness, and he felt like home. He’d become an addiction, but I didn’t want to quit this one. No, I wanted to chase the future I’d imagined, the potential I experienced with him. I kissed and nipped his neck a few more times before drawing back. “You realize you’re never getting rid of me, right?”

His eyes softened. “Jordan, I’ll keep you as long as you let me.”

“Better plan on forever, then.” I pulled away and grabbed his hand. “Now, let’s go deal with our adoring masses.”

Nick’s grin was incandescent. “Better not promise me forever unless you mean it. I’m a Grade A clinger.”

“Oh, I absolutely mean it.”

Someone pounded on the supply closet. “Jordan, what the hell?”

I recognized the voices. “Hold on, I’m coming out of the closet.”

I opened the door. Hal and Chad stood in the hallway, their arms crossed. The serious looks on their faces could go either way, but my news was already out in the open.

“Literally,” Hal said, a brow lifted. “Why the fuck are we finding out about it now?”

“You and Rogue?” Chad glanced between us. Our fingers were still interlaced, and I didn’t make any move to pull away.

“Yeah, turns out I like dick too,” I said .

Hal shook his head. “How long was this going on? I’m not that oblivious, am I?”

“Since the streaking incident,” Nick said. “Breaking the law gets J all horny.”

Chad wrinkled his nose. “Remind me not to break the law with you. No offense.”

“None taken,” I said. “I only got horny because Nick’s fuckhot.”

“And I’m not?” Hal plastered a hand to his chest. “Why does no one find me hot?”

“You’ll find someone,” Nick patted him on the shoulder, a wry grin quirking his lips. “Maybe tone the desperation down a notch.”

“I’m happy for you guys,” Chad said, his eyes crinkling. Relief trickled through me. As much as Chad and Hal had always been cool, I hadn’t been sure how they’d feel about two of their close friends dating.

“Me too, even though it’s one less on the wingman team,” Hal said. “That kiss is all anyone’s talking about out there. You guys better come out.”

“Pretty sure I did,” I said, amusement filtering through me.

“You’re going to be insufferable with the jokes, aren’t you?” Nick said. “Maybe you should stay in the closet.”

I tugged at his hand, drawing him closer. “Nah, then I can’t do shit like this.” I leaned in and kissed him again, just because I could.

“How did I miss this?” Hal asked.

I drew back. “Probably because I missed it too. My feelings for Nick kind of snuck up on me. But now he’s stuck with me.”

“Like genital warts,” Nick said cheerily, and I elbowed him in the side. My heart was light, buoyant at how in sync we were.

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go face the rest of town.”

We stepped out onto the main floor of the town hall. The buzz of conversation was a dull roar. Chances were everyone was talking about us.

I kept a tight hold on Nick’s hand as I halted in front of the tree where we’d last caused the ruckus. Heads turned our way, and the chatter stopped. Amanda and Brian, along with Nick’s parents, were there. Gramps and Mrs. Hendricks, who’d been chatting with Logan and Coop. My folks and Sadie, who’d found Henry. Daisy, her husband, and the kids. Sheriff Morgan and Ben, who were standing next to Dakota. So many familiar faces and they all turned our way.

In the past, the whispers about me had been about the latest stunt I’d pulled, and I supposed this wasn’t different. I was still making a splash, but this time, I wanted everyone to know. I wanted everyone to celebrate in this joy I’d found.

“In case anyone’s wondering…” I cupped the side of my mouth and shouted, “Yes, the kiss was real. Nick and I are official.”

“You fucking would,” Nick grumbled.

A hush descended, but then slowly, a ripple of cheers, hoots, hollers echoed through the place.

I’d made a buzz through Collier’s Creek, but this one, this was one I wanted to remember.

“Hey, you knew what you were getting into with me,” I murmured back to Nick as members of the crowd started to break away and approach.

“I did,” he said, his voice campfire warm. “And I don’t regret a second of it.”

“I love you.” I squeezed his hands tight. “Now, let’s go face the town.”