It wasn’t love at first sight. Nothing as magical as that.
No, it was better. It was the kind of love that sneaks up on you in a million kind gestures, a billion moments of feeling safe and comfortable and cared for. Falling in love with Clint Nolan was incredible, but it wasn’t magic. We’d worked for it. Thousands of hours of therapy, and too many late-night phone calls to count where I fell asleep listening to him breathing or telling me about his day.
When my whole world fell apart, Clint felt like home, and he still does.
He’s my hero.
He nips my lip as he ends the kiss, and that infectious grin takes over his face again as he leans back to waggle the remote in the air. “Superpowers and explosions?”
“Superpowers and explosions,” I confirm, and he hits play as I lay my head in his lap. His arm instantly drapes over my side, his other hand finding a strand of my hair to play with, and I smile as that warm, happy feeling suffuses me from head to toe. “I love you, Clint.”
“I love you too, babe,” he answers, squeezing me a bit before he adds, “But if you talk over Jean Grey blowing stuff up, I’m gonna cry.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes. “My lips are zipped, I promise.”
“Good, ’cause I’ve been waiting weeks to watch this, and I had to threaten to shoot Tommy to keep him from ruining it for me.” The movie starts, and I’m still grinning as he talks about his partner. Transferring to the Indianapolis Police Department was just another sacrifice he made for me, but he’d done it without a thought, because he loves me, really loves me.
Just as the opening scene starts to play, I feel another laugh threatening to break free, but I stifle it so that it comes out as a sputter of air. With a heavy sigh, Clint pauses the movie and looks down at me.
“Out with it,” he says in a faux stern voice, but he can’t keep the smile off his lips as I start laughing for real. “Come on, Sloane, just spit it out.”
“Popcorn?” I ask, and he sighs dramatically.
“God help me, yes. Fine. Popcorn.” He helps me off his lap and shoves me gently toward the kitchen. “Hurry up! You’re keeping me from superpowers.”
“And explosions,” I add, and he jumps up from the couch, chasing me into the kitchen where he corners me beside the pantry, my back against the door as my laugh winds down. “Sorry?” I offer, and he shakes his head with a chuckle of his own.
“No, you’re not. I know you only watch these movies for me,” he says, sidling closer, and his hands find my hips as he closes the gap between us. Leaning down, he kisses just below my ear, and then trails more down my neck to my shoulder. “But, I promise, if you watch it with me, I’ll do whatever you want.”
I grin. “Like make slime blindfolded?”
Clint’s head pops up. “Seriously?”
“Please?” I ask, and he sighs indulgently before he presses another kiss to my lips.
“You know I’d do anything for you, babe. Including make slime blindfolded, whatever the hell that is.” A grin spreads over his lips again, and he lifts me onto the counter beside the pantry. “But right now, we’re doing popcorn and explosions.”
“And watching Jean Grey turn into Dark Phoenix as she gets taken over by a mysterious cosmic force?”
Clint’s eyebrows lift high as he stares at me. “You—”
“I googled it,” I answer before he can ask how I know, and he yanks me into another burning kiss that makes all the darkness of our past mean nothing in the brightness of the future we have together.
“I love you so damn much,” he says, and I smile at him as I nudge him out of the way to get the popcorn.
“And I love you more. Enough to watch two hours of superpowers.”
“Which is why I’m the lucky one,” he replies, grinning victoriously at me as I shove the bag in the microwave.
“We’re both lucky.”
“Damn straight,” he says, pulling me into his chest to hold me tight, and with every beat of his heart against my ear I know that I’m exactly where I was always meant to be, and I know why I didn’t give up.
For this. For every minute we’ve had together, and for every brilliant moment we will because he never gave up on me, and because I survived.
It wasn’t magic, but it’s still our happily ever after.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
THE END
About Jennifer Bene
Jennifer Bene is a USA Today bestselling author of dangerously sexy and deviously dark romance. From BDSM, to Suspense, Dark Romance, and Thrillers—she writes it all. Always delivering a twisty, spine-tingling journey with the promise of a happily-ever-after.
Don't miss a release! Sign up for the newsletter to get new book alerts (and a free welcome book) at: http://jenniferbene.com/newsletter
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You can find her online throughout social media with username @jbeneauthor and on her website: www.jenniferbene.com
About Shane Starrett
Shane Starrett has spent twenty-five years writing steamy, erotic technical documents (okay, the erotic part is probably a bit of a stretch) for major companies in the live events industry. His first novel, Submissive Lies, was long in coming, but with guidance from his long-time beta reader of 30 years (Ms. Starrett), it is now complete and available. When he isn't writing, which isn't often, he can be found hiking trails up and down the Sierra Nevada's, and the coastal range in Southern California.
Sign up for his newsletter and never miss a new release at: http://shanestarrett.com/
Also by Jennifer Bene
The Thalia Series (Dark Romance)
Security Binds Her (Thalia Book 1)
Striking a Balance (Thalia Book 2)
Salvaged by Love (Thalia Book 3)
Tying the Knot (Thalia Book 4)
The Thalia Series: The Complete Collection
The Beth Series (Dark Romance)
Breaking Beth (Beth Book 1)
Fragile Ties Series (Dark Romance)
Destruction (Fragile Ties Book 1)
Inheritance (Fragile Ties Book 2)
Redemption (Fragile Ties Book 3) – coming soon
Dangerous Games Series (Dark Mafia Romance)
Early Sins (A Dangerous Games Prequel)
Lethal Sin (Dangerous Games Book 1)
Standalone Dark Romance
Imperfect Monster
Corrupt Desires
The Rite
Deviant Attraction: A Dark and Dirty Collection
Reign of Ruin
Mesmer
Jasmine
Crazy Broken Love
Standalone BDSM Ménage Romance
The Invitation
Reunited
Standalone Suspense / Horror
Burned: An Inferno World Novella
Appearances in the Black Light Series (BDSM Romance)
Black Light: Exposed (Black Light Series Book 2)
Black Light: Valentine Roulette (Black Light Series Book 3)
Black Light: Roulette Redux (Black Light Series Book 7)
Black Light: Celebrity Roulette (Black Light Series Book 12)
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Books Released As Cassandra Faye
Daughters of Eltera Series (Dark Fantasy Romance)
Fae (Daughters of Eltera Book 1)
Tara (Daughters of Eltera Book 2)
Anthologies
Bite Me: A Vampire Anthology
Also by Shane Starrett
BDSM Romance
Submissive Lies
Dark Romance / Thriller-Suspense
Jasmine
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