Chapter 24
STEVEN POV
C
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Madison tasted like wine and mischief. Like chocolate and victory. Like a kiss I’d been waiting for since the second she waltzed into my penthouse in oversized scrubs and sarcasm.
And I had no defense. None. Not a single billion–dollar defense system could’ve stopped my heart from punching itself out of my chest the moment her lips touched mine again.
Except this time, it wasn’t an accident. Not a stumble. Not a yoga mat mishap. Not fate throwing us against each other like some spicy sitcom.
This was deliberate.
She leaned in. I leaned in more.
And I swear–somewhere in that kiss–I felt the world shift.
The candles, the wine, the ridiculous romantic setup I made in a moment of inspiration (and minor obsession)? All worth it. Every stupid second. Because her lips on mine? That was home. That was everything.
When we pulled back, she had this look. Half sass, half stunned softness. Like she didn’t expect me to kiss her like I meant it.
And hell–I did. Every single second of it. She whispered, “About damn time,” and all I could think was:
God, I’m in trouble. Because Madison Luis wasn’t just my physical therapist anymore.
She was my miracle. The reason I stood. The reason I laughed. The reason I didn’t burn down this penthouse every time I stared at the four walls of what used to feel like a prison.
And now she knew. She saw it.
And I didn’t even want to take it back. So yeah… maybe the kiss was the beginning. The beginning of something terrifying. And real. And way beyond any race I’ve ever won.
Because falling for Madison Luis? That’s the only finish line I wanted to cross.
I looked at her–really looked–and she had this glint in her eye. Like she knew I was panicking inside.
“You okay?” she asked, all teasing, sipping wine like she hadn’t just burned my emotional firewall to ash.
I gave her a crooked smile. “Nope. Pretty sure I just kissed my physical therapist.”
She smirked. “And your best friend.”
I nodded slowly, leaning closer. “And probably the woman I’m falling madly in love with.”
She blinked. Then grinned. “Better not fall too hard, McLeon,” she whispered. “You just learned how to stand.”
11:33 Thu, Sep 18
Chapter 24
:
And just like that…I was hers.
Fully. Utterly. Willingly.
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It’s been ten months since she barged into my life like a five–foot–three espresso shot with attitude and a ponytail. Ten months since she rolled into my penthouse, judged my sad banana, and told me to eat or starve.
Ten months since Madison freaking Luis flipped my world upside down–then set it right again.
And now?
Now I can walk. Two full steps. No wheelchair. No assistance. Just me, the cane, and sheer stubborn will.
My doctor cried. No joke. Man teared up on a Zoom call like he’d just witnessed a Disney miracle. Even Mom was speechless. She kept patting my shoulder and whispering something about naming her future grandchild “Madix” regardless of gender.
But the real miracle?
Was Madison. She didn’t just get me back on my feet–she gave me back my damn life.
And yet… Every time I kissed her (and yeah, that was almost daily now, don’t judge me), there was still this unspoken pause. Not hesitation. Just… that invisible line we hadn’t quite crossed yet.
We were “something.” More than friends. But not quite lovers. Not officially. She never asked what we were. Never pushed. Never gave me a deadline to man up and define it. Because that’s just who she is–fierce, independent, heart–stealing woman who doesn’t beg for love, because she doesn’t have to.
Still… I saw it.
The flicker in her eyes when I’d pull her close but still not say it. The way she’d smile after a kiss and then walk away, humming, pretending she wasn’t wondering if I’d ever cross that line.
And hell, I was wondering too.
Now, here we are–ten months in.
She’s reorganizing the spice rack in the kitchen (again, because apparently I “stack basil like a psychopath“), and I’m standing in the hallway, one hand on the cane, watching her sway to some indie song on her playlist like she’s in her own world.
And I can’t help it.
This question burns in me like nitro in a race car engine: Where do we go from here?
Because I’ve gotten everything back. My strength. My walk. But what if the real win wasn’t racing again? What
if it was her?
What if I’ve been healing my body this whole time, while she quictly stole my heart?
11:33 Thu, Sep 18
Chapter 24
71
55 vouchers
The L–word sits heavy on my tongue, like a locked door I haven’t dared to open. Not yet. But soon. Soon.
о
Because this–her, us, this chaos, this calm, these kisses, her snoring at 2 a.m. in my hoodie, the way she says “stupid rich boy” when I forget to turn off the faucet-
This is love.
Even if I haven’t said it out loud yet, I’ve been showing it every damn day.
And I know… when I finally say the words, when I look her in the eyes and tell her what she already knows-
That’s when we stop wondering where we go from here. Because we’ll be going forward. Together.
11:33 Thu, Sep 18
