Page 148 of Anything To Be With You

"Anytime, Luke." The speakers click when Gabe hangs up.

We stare at each other for a beat before he breaks the silence. "I’m in love with you."

"W—what?" I stammer, my heart in my throat.

"I’m in love with you. I have been in love with you since you walked through my office door." Luke drops to his knees in front of me.

I blink quickly. "I-I-I-"

He takes my face in his hands. "You are loving and caring, intelligent, and strong and so Goddamn beautiful. Inside and out."

I snort. "I have a mirror, Archer; I know what I look like, and beautiful is not it." I sigh, hanging my head. "I have scars inside and out."

He lifts my face, so I am looking him in the eye. "I need you to hear what I’m about to say."

I nod.

"I love you. All of you. Your smile, your laugh, your imperfections, your temper, your sass, your snoring, your love of the word fuck," he winks, and I huff out a laugh. "I love you, all of you."

A tear slides down my cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb.

"I’m not perfect."

"You’re perfect to me." Luke kisses my forehead.

I move back to look at him. "What you did at the hospital with Mason and the IV," I close my eyes. "You hurt me, Luke. Badly. You broke my heart." I take a deep breath. "It took me months to get over what you did."

He brushes the scar on my cheek with his thumb. "I will never forgive myself for what I did." He admits.

"After talking with Erin at length about what happened, I forgive you for what you did. I now understand that you were trying to give me a break and to show me that you could be trusted with Mason. I'm never going to forget what you did, but I forgive you." I glance at my hands. "I’m in love with you, too." I finally say aloud.

"Those are the best words to ever come out of your mouth." He says and I bark out a laugh.

"Better than 'anything else, Mr. Archer.'"

"Okay, maybe the second-best thing." He smirks and I smack his chest.

"Smartass." I squeal as Luke scoops me into his arms and brings me into the bedroom, laying me down on my bed.

"I love you, Dani," he says as he kisses me. "I should’ve told you sooner." He undresses me slowly. "You don’t know how much I’ve missed you." He says against the skin of my neck.

My hands fist his shirt, and he sits back, allowing me to undress him.

"Why didn't you come get me when Mason needed me?" I question after a moment.

"I should have."

"Then why did you?"

He takes my face in his large hands again. "I thought Mason was just being difficult. I had no idea he was scared of needles and the nurses never told me. I didn't want to bother you with something that should've been simple. I wanted to show you I can be someone you could trust when it came to Mason."

"Really?" I ask.

"Truly."

I push him on his back and kiss him. No man has ever said anything like that to me before. I reach between us and stroke him gently.

"I love you, Luke."

---