Happily Never After

by Lynn Painter

How could I not smile at that? I realized as I looked down at her that I had no idea who she was. Wild bride, serious professional, hopeless car romantic; which one was the real her? “You’re very weird, Sophie.” “I know,” she said, lifting her chin just a little, daring me to pass judgment. “I like it,” I added, meaning that. There was something about her that . . . shit, that I liked.

I glanced over at Max, who was staring at me like he was trying to figure me out, and I wasn’t sure I wanted him to. So I flipped him off.

“I’m sorry he made you cry,” I said, putting my hands in my pockets so I didn’t do something stupid like touch her. “I don’t know you well, but I know that Sophie Steinbeck should only ever be laughing.”

She was a huge smart-ass and I really liked it. I really liked her, honestly.

“I don’t want to sound like an asshole misogynist, Soph,” he said, his eyes still everywhere on me, “but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman look this gorgeous in real life.”

he kissed my mouth like he was famished and I was nourishment. Like he’d been deprived of kissing me every minute of his life and was making up for lost time. It was a complete onslaught, utterly unbridled, and I couldn’t get enough.

His eyes were dark and heavy-lidded as he looked down at me and said, “You are a genius, Steinbeck.” “I know,” I said breathily as I nipped at his lower lip, begging him to come back. “You are also,” he growled, returning the favor by scraping his teeth along my mouth, “so fucking sexy that it might just kill me.”

“If you still want this when you’re sober, Soph, I am yours—night or day,” I said, meaning every word. Because as she stared up at me, I realized that I was very into her. Not into this, this chemistry-gone-wild thing that existed between us, but into her. I was falling for her.

“You are killing me,” he breathed into my mouth,

“I might die from this, Soph.” “From what?” I said on a breath as he started moving. “From you being more than I’ve ever even known to fucking fantasize about.” His breathing was choppy, his words mere pants as his body went off. “This—is—madness.”

“God, Max, I told you I didn’t want this.” “I didn’t, either, but it’s here.” I clenched my jaw as emotion slammed into me, as every feeling I’d ever felt for her decided to make itself known at that very second. “I fought it hard, because trust me, this is the last thing I want. But now you consume me, Soph, every single part of me, and I like it. I can’t drive without thinking about your impractical car, can’t run without thinking about the way you run, can’t put on a fucking hard hat without picturing the way you looked in that stupid yellow hat. Somehow you’ve become my center, and God help me, it feels right.”

🥺🥺🥺

I just want to be with you because you’re my goddamn favorite person. And I feel like it’s going to be impossible for you not to trust my feelings because you’re going to see them in my eyes every time I look at you.”

I just stood there, staring at the spot where she’d been, my heart paralyzed with feelings. Fuck me, I’d fallen so hard that I wasn’t even trying to get up.

help, i've fallen and i can't get up 🥹🫶🏻