Chapter 17

MCKINLEY P.O.V

I groaned as the light from the window shown right into my eyes. I already knew that I was going to have a hangover from hell. I don't know when we busted into Calum's secret alcohol stash but I think I drank most of it.

"Good morning." I heard someone mumble next to me. My eyes widened as I caught a glimpse of a head full of blonde curls. "There's Tylenol on the table for you." Luke. Oh god what did I do and why was he in my bed?

"Oh god." I groaned. I was wearing a shirt and panties so that's a good sign. "What did we do?"

"We didn't have sex." He confirmed sitting up. He was shirtless but he was wearing pants. I looked over at him. His eyes looked soft. He looked beautiful even though his hair was all over the place.

"Why are you in my bed?" I asked leaning over to take the meds and drink down the entire water bottle. He rested his head on his hand as he looked at me. I laid back into the pillows looking at him.

"You don't remember anything from last night."

"I remember hiking. I remember drinking. A lot." I nodded. "I don't remember getting back here." He nodded looking at me. "What?"

"You don't remember what I did?" I shook my head. "I broke up with Kristen."

"Oh." I whispered. "Why? She was pretty."

"Yes. She was a lot of things. Maybe she would even be good for me. One problem. She's not you." He reached for my hand and he had never held it so tight. It was like he was afraid I was going to run away from him. I smiled to myself and closed my eyes. "I'm sorry it took me so long." He whispered. I could feel his breath on my face and knew that he was right in front of me but I knew that if I opened my eyes, it would all be over. "I love you." I could barely hear him but the words were loud. Clear. Truthful.

"I love you." I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him into me. My arms had ached for him. I shoved my face in his neck breathing in his scent. I had missed it. In the silence, we held each other. I was afraid of the moment that he was going to pull away and leave. I would not be able to survive if he left again.

"Can we stay here forever?" He asked making me smile.

"I would love that." I answered as he rolled over and rested his body above mine and held himself up.

"I should have never left you." He moved the hair away from my face. "You are by far the greatest thing that has ever happened to me and I'm a dumbass for ever letting you go. You're my endgame." I played with the hair at his neck and smiled.

"I don't want anyone else but you." He smiled and leaned down to kiss me. It was a simple peck on the lips but to me it was everything I had wanted since the day he left.

"How about you go shower and I'll make you some breakfast." I didn't want to let him go but I wasn't sure if I was ready to fully be naked in front of him again. It would take time to be comfortable with him again.

"Alright." I sighed content that he was going to stay. He kissed me one more time before pulling away. I let my arms fall to my face and blushed. I couldn't believe he was really in my bed. With me. He strolled out of the room and closed the door behind him. I quickly got up and headed to the bathroom to shower so I could go be with him. "oh god." I sighed noticing that I was wearing his shirt.

I turned the shower on and let it heat up while I looked at myself. I could hear him slamming around in the kitchen. He didn't run. I showered quickly before getting out. I put on a new pair of panties and put his shirt back on before going out to the kitchen where he was making pancakes.

I sat down on one of the island chairs and watched him. That's when I noticed Ashton looking through the fridge. As many times as he's seen me in my underwear the last few months now it was a little strange since Luke was here.

"Hello." He commented looking at me.

"Hi." I smiled giggling.

"So, what did you two do last night?" He smirked patting Luke on the back.

"No sex was involved, Ash." Luke confirmed as he added chocolate to the pancakes.

"Can you make some plain for Nicole?" I asked him.

"Sure." He smiled at me. I looked down and blushed. I felt like a 12 year old with a crush. "And can you get me some orange juice?" I asked. He right away went over to the fridge and shoved Ashton out of the way to get it for me.

"I gotta talk to you later." Luke said to me.

"Me?" He nodded. "What's it about?"

"Kristen." I just looked at him. "No it's really over with her but she's coming by to get her stuff and I need you to stay here while she's down there. I don't want you to fight her."

"I'll rip her head off." I said taking a sip of my drink and looking over the cup at him. He smiled shaking his head.

"She's serious." Ashton said helping himself to a pancake.

"She's actually a good person. There would be no reason for me to do that to her." I said grabbing a plate and loading it with food. "Where's Calum?"

"Last I saw him he was passed out in the bathtub." I laughed. "I checked he was still alive." He confirmed before sitting across from me. "So, what's going on with you two?" He asked looking at both of us.

"It hasn't been discussed yet." Luke answered before I could. "That's something we will discuss in private." I nodded as I ate. I was praying that he wanted to be with me

just as much as I wanted to be with him.

*LUKE P.O.V*

As much as I didn't want to leave McKinley's side. I knew that I needed to go deal with Kristen. She didn't need to know details all she needed to know was that we weren't good for each other and that she can move on. She deserved someone who actually loved her and who would be willing to give her the world.

"Do you need any help?" I asked her watching her pack her things into boxes.

"Why did you do it?"

"I wasn't in love with you." I answered honestly. "You deserve so much better than me. I wasn't in this for the long run."

"Why did you ask me to marry you then?"

"Technically I didn't. You said we should get married and I said okay." That made her stop in her tracks.

"God, you're right. I'm so stupid."

"No. You're not. I am. For ever getting started with you when I knew that I was in love with someone else."

"Does she make you happy, Luke?" She asked. I nodded. "Then don't let her go. You deserve to be happy. Whether it's with me or her or someone else. Everyone deserves happiness." She sighed. "I knew, Luke. When you would talk about her or look at her. You had this twinkle in your eye. She's it for you. I knew." Yeah, I knew too. "Don't fuck it up this time." She commented lifting up a box. I grabbed another and brought it down to her car.

"I wish you the best." I commented to her.

"Same to you." She smiled. "I overreacted. I just want you to be happy. I'm kinda glad you ended it before we got married and then had to go through a divorce."

"Yeah, that's true." I commented. "But if you want the money back I'll send you a check."

"Not needed. I got most of my money back. Do you want me to write you a check for your half?"

"No. You keep it." I commented. She handed me a small box. I'm surprised she didn't try to sell it. I wouldn't use this ring to propose to McKinley. I would design one for her like I had planned when we were only together for six months.

I didn't even watch her pull away before I rushed into the apartment building and right into McKinley's apartment. The living room was empty. So was the kitchen so I headed to her bedroom which was left exactly how it was this morning when we left it. The bathroom door was cracked open and I could hear her humming. I slowly pushed the door open. She was laying in the tub, bubbles up to her neck. Her eyes were closed and she had her head resting on the edge of the tub. I sat down on the toilet watching her. She was so beautiful. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at me.

"You came back."

"Of course I came back." I smiled. "Should we discuss this?" I asked her. I was praying to god that she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

"Yeah." She sat up a little more and I could tell that she was nervous to be having this conversation.

"I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you." She said. "Every minute of every day." She smiled. I shook my head and moved closer. I grabbed her face and kissed her.

"I love you so much." I whispered to her. "And I meant it when I said we were going to end up together."

"Then why did you propose to her?" She asked.

"Listen." I started which made her laugh. "I didn't. She said "Let's get married" and like a dumbass I said "Okay." I shrugged. "I never asked her to marry me."

"Interesting." She commented before standing up. My eyes widened as her wet naked body was right in front of me. I wanted to touch her but knew that I probably shouldn't. "Can you hand me my towel?" She asked pointing to the back of the door. I grabbed it for her as she stepped out. She wrapped the towel around her body before unplugging the tub.

I followed her into her bedroom where she got dressed while I sat on the bed.

"Did you and Ashton ever have sex?" I figured we might as well get the hard questions out of the way.

"No. I tried to convince him a lot. Which was really mean on my end but he said we couldn't do that to you. I'm glad I didn't. I would regret it."

"He told me the same thing." I looked at her as she ran her fingers through her hair. "What about Calum?"

"As much as I would love to see him naked, no." She smirked sitting on my lap. "I haven't slept with any of your friends." She said pressing her lips to mine. "Now, I'm hungry lets go get some food." She got off me and grabbed a pair of vans.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked following her out of her apartment.

"Wherever you want." She smiled holding my hand. I raised our hands to kiss hers. "But I could go for steak."

"Steak it is." I smiled leading her down the street. I would never be the fool to let her go again. She was mine now and for forever.