Page 115 of Truly, Madly, Deeply

“So we’ll get some soup and a nasal decongestant in you, and you’ll be good as new.”

This wasn’t something soup could fix, Chicken Soup for the whatever soul be damned. “I’m serious, Colin. This isn’t the time for jokes.”

“Considering you’re being ridiculous? I’d argue now is absolutely the perfect time for jokes.”

“I am trying to break up with you, God damn it!”

He turned his head to the side and stole a shallow breath in through his parted lips, jaw clenched so tight the tendons in his neck stood out, corded beneath his golden, mole-splattered skin. So gorgeous she ached.

“You want to break up with me?” He crossed the kitchen, stopping in front of her. “Okay.”

An awful sick feeling took up residence in the pit of her stomach, like she’d missed several steps walking downstairs.

Colin gripped her chin and tipped her head back, forcing her to look up at him. “But I need you to look me in the eye and tell me that’s what you really want.”

What she wanted didn’t matter. Wanting was easy. Having was so much more complicated.

She opened her mouth and—a dam within her broke, a noisy sob bursting from between her lips.

Colin swore softly under his breath and drew her close, crushing her against his chest.

“It’s okay,” he said, rubbing her back. “You’re okay.”

“It’s not okay.” She lifted her head, leaning back far enough to drag her fingertips beneath her eyes. Colin’s words, the way he looked at her, achingly earnest, cracked her open, all the feelings she’d tried to bury bubbling up and with them more tears. “I love you. Okay? I love you and I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did, and I do and—and I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m scared. I am scared, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I am so scared and I—”

Colin pressed a finger to her lips. “I need you to stop talking.”

Her heart shrank inside her chest. She’d really messed up this time. “Colin, I—”

“You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met.” His mouth came crashing down on hers, swallowing the desperate, needy sound that clawed its way up her throat.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed against his lips. “Please don’t go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, thumbs resting on the crests of her cheeks, hands cradling her face, holding her like he always did. Like she was precious. “You’re scared? We can be scared together.”

She sniffled. “Colin—”

“No, listen to me. You think I’m not scared? Jesus, Truly, I’m terrified. I swear to God, it was like I walked into the studio that first day and I saw you and I just... I know love at first sight is bullshit, but I saw you and I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I had this feeling that nothing was ever going to be the same. My life was going to be divided into Before Truly and After Truly and the thought of there being an after still scares me. I’m terrified that one day you’re going to tell me to go and you’re actually going to mean it. But I’d rather be with you, try with you, than walk away on the off chance that calling it quits now might hurt less than some hypothetical hurt down the road.”

She took Colin’s hands in hers, clutching them so tight she was surprised his bones, hers, didn’t creak. His skin against hers, his palms dry and warm, hands soft save for the rough callus on the side of his left middle finger, grounded her. “My parents—”

“We’re not your parents.” His eyes swept over her face like he was drinking the sight of her in. “We’re going to make mistakes and we’re going to have disagreements and sometimes we’re even going argue. What we’re not going to do is give up. I know you’re way too stubborn for that.”

Her heart fluttered inside her chest, hummingbird fast. “I’m stubborn? What about you?”

Colin McCrory was, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most stubborn individuals she had the pleasure of knowing, and she loved, loved, loved him for it.

“Me?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I happen to be wildly in love with you. Isn’t it obvious? You fucking own me, Truly,” he said, voice raw, rough with emotion.

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. Blinking hard, she fisted both hands in the collar of his shirt and dragged his mouth down to hers in a kiss that curled her toes inside her slippers and made Colin shiver against her.

She drew back just far enough so that she could whisper against his lips. “Say it again? Please.”

“I love you.” Colin brushed the tip of his nose against hers. “I’m yours, Truly.”

She grinned.

Yeah, he was.

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