Clara took a deep breath and tilted his chin until he looked directly at her, instead of at his own balled fists. “But love isn’t like that. At least not for me. Loving you is like sinking into a warm bath after a lifetime of feeling cold down to my bones.”

Josh’s chest rose and fell as he tried to gather enough oxygen to process this revelation.

Clara reached for his hand. “It’s having someone see me, past the artifice and the posturing, and decide I’m more than enough.”

He closed his eyes and ran the tip of his nose against the back of her hand, savoring her words and the petal-softness of her skin.

Clara’s voice gathered strength. “My love for you isn’t an addiction. Being with you doesn’t provide some warped sense of validation for my life. You were never a fling I had to get out of my system. Our love feels like . . . freedom. The kind people give their lives for.”

Josh’s vision went hazy. He couldn’t process this turn of events.

Clara must have misinterpreted his silence because she brought her mouth closer to the mic. “Although I want to be very clear that the sex is unbelievable. Better than it looks on screen. Seriously. You have no idea.”

Naomi cleared her throat.

“Right. Sorry. Josh, the reason Shameless exists is because you encouraged me to stop apologizing for what I want and what I deserve. Checklists, guidelines, terrible driving, and all. You’re everything I never knew I needed, but I can’t imagine my life without you, and frankly, I don’t want to.”

He sat, stupefied at his good fortune. In a thousand lifetimes, he’d never get enough of Clara. Of her optimism and her nerve. Of her desperate kisses and faith that people were worth fighting for.

Naomi narrowed her eyes at him. “Better get a move on. If you don’t kiss her soon, I will.”

Josh shook out of his stupor and stood, pulling Clara out of her chair.

He wanted her at that moment more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. He held her face in both of his hands. “Great speech.”

“Thanks.” She dipped her thumb into his dimple. “Went a little astray with the sex bit at the end.”

“You found your way back.” He brought his mouth to hers and Clara wrapped her arms around his neck. His world righted on its axis as their lips met in a tender press. He wasn’t sure he deserved her, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let anyone take her away.

Josh had never imagined he’d get to have this kind of softness with Clara.

Dana clapped her hands. “So does this mean we’ll be seeing the two of you in future tutorials for Shameless?”

Clara froze in his arms, her eyes uncertain. “I suppose we could do like a kissing tutorial? Fully clothed kissing. Ooh, set to R&B slow jams.”

“We’re gonna need a lot more rehearsal time before she’s ready for an audience. In fact, we should go practice. Right now.” His eyes never left Clara’s. “Naomi can take it from here.” Josh’s cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. “Please excuse us.”

He practically dragged Clara out of the studio and into the hallway. “I’m so sorry for the way I acted,” he said as soon as the door closed behind them. “I was a complete asshole. I want you to know I—”

Clara eyed the elevator before grabbing the front of his shirt and dragging him into an out-of-the-way stairwell. As the door slammed behind him, she ran her fingers through his hair and molded her curves against his hollows. “Tell me later,” she whispered in his ear.

Josh needed no further urging. He grabbed her ass and lifted her off the ground so she could wind her legs around his waist before pushing her against the wall and sucking hot kisses into her neck below her ear.

Clara moaned with abandon.

“Are we really doing this? Here?” If this day was a dream, he never wanted to wake up.

She rolled her hips against him. “Think you can handle it?”

Josh laughed against her lips. “Sweetheart, I’ve still got plenty of moves you’ve never seen.”

He balanced her ass on the stairwell running against the wall. “This is a nice dress,” he said as he shoved the fabric above her waist. With impatient fingers, he shifted her underwear to the side. “God, Clara. You’ve got the perfect pussy,” he said when he found her soaked and ready for him.

Clara clenched her thighs around his hips, whimpering as she bit into his shoulder. “I love you. I love you so much.”

Josh swore like she’d said something filthy and bucked his hips against her. “If I come in my pants from the sound of your voice and some dry-humping, I’m going to lose all my street cred.”

Clara laughed low in her throat as she closed her eyes and tipped back her head. “Then what are you waiting for?”

Josh didn’t miss a beat. He dug into his pocket for a condom. Thank goodness old habits die hard. He ripped open the foil packet with his teeth and slid it on. “This is really unbelievable. Like I know it’s happening because you’re here and you look amazing but—”

“Josh?” Clara’s ragged breaths came out in pants.

“Yes?”

She reached forward and grabbed his ass, lining up their hips until he sank into her.

As her tight heat surrounded him, he lowered his head to her shoulder with a tortured groan. “Right.”

With his hands behind each of her knees, he tilted the angle of her pelvis so that the head of his cock rubbed her G-spot. He might not be able to make her come twice in a stairwell, but he could sure as hell try.

Josh found himself embarrassingly close as he listened to her whimper and mewl. Her hands dug into his shoulder blades as he inched her thigh higher against his hip and felt her tremble around him. Clara bit down where his neck met his shoulder as she found her pleasure.

“You’re incredible.” He could spend hours watching her bite her lip and squirm as she came.

Clara moved her hands to his nape, pulling his mouth to hers. “How the hell is being with you better than an entire summer’s worth of fantasizing?”

Each word conjured a new, magnificent image in his brain until he panted at the edge of infinity. Both starving and sated. His definition of happiness expanded to encompass this perfect, wild moment.

Josh sank his fingertips into the silky skin of her thighs and gritted his teeth to keep from screaming as his own orgasm rocked him. He brought his sweaty forehead to rest against hers. “I can’t believe you’re real.” He slid out of her and helped her down from the railing.

She hastily handed him a handful of tissues from her purse. “Sex in public is as good as I thought, but the aftermath is decidedly less glamorous.”

Josh laughed as he cleaned himself off and tucked everything back into his jeans.

Clara’s purse started ringing.

“It’s Jill,” she said, looking at the caller ID flashing on the screen.

“You might need to answer that.”

“Hello?” Clara said, bending to bring the device to her ear. Her cheeks had gone red as bricks.

“You’ve gotta get down here,” Josh heard Jill say in the loud, terse tone of someone trying not to panic. “I’m at my office and Toni Granger just showed up asking to speak with you.”

Clara stared at Josh and licked her bottom lip. “Now?” Her eyes shot wide. “Okay. Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

After a quick stop at the restroom to freshen up, they made their way to the parking lot.

“Come on. I’ll drive,” Josh said, taking her hand in his.

Clara stopped short. “Actually, I’ve got a car here.”

He swept his eyes across the parking lot. “What? Where did you get a car?”

“Well, it’s kind of a funny story . . .”

Chapter thirty-seven

JOSH TOOK THE news of her spontaneous road trip with remarkable aplomb, all things considered.

“Do I love that you ran back to that dude the first chance you got? No.” Josh broke into a grin. “But at the same time, I love the visual of you demanding that chump’s keys to make a beeline back to me.”

Butterflies beat their wings inside Clara’s stomach. She’d gone from one emotional roller coaster to the next, and now Toni wanted to see her?

Josh squeezed her hand as they stood outside Jill’s office. “What’s going on in that beautiful brain?”

“I’m a little nervous.” A lot nervous. “I had all that adrenaline pumping in my veins back at the studio, lots of endorphins, but now I have to face the consequences of my actions.”

“Do you regret it?” His voice came out unnaturally neutral.

“Absolutely not. If other people don’t like it, they can take a hike.”

Josh shook his head. “We gotta get you a millennial phrase book or something. Phrases like that are why telemarketers are always trying to sell you osteoporosis medication.”

He hesitated when they reached Jill’s door. “Maybe I should wait out here.”

Clara pressed her lips to his cheek. “Please come with me. Whatever happens. I’d like to introduce you to my aunt.”

He squared his jaw. “Lead the way.”

“Good morning,” Clara said, taking Josh’s hand as they walked into the conference room where Jill and the DA waited. “I apologize for keeping you waiting.”