Page 85 of Hart Breaker

“I don’t know where we were, but right now, I’m in the middle of vibrators that give off seriously positive energy.”

“Good vibes.” He chuckles.

“What is all this ab—” I stop when he brings his hand around, and in them, a beautiful sunflower.

“So?” He hands it to me.

“My favorite. Thank you.”

“I asked who else lived in Blue Valley.”

“Lots of people.” I reply.

“I mean, not a lot—it’s a small town. But none of them matter as much as the girl I have been falling in love with for two years.”

My jaw comes unhinged, just a little.

“I could have waited the appropriate amount of time to make that declaration, but no amount of time is gonna change the fact that I love you, Riley. I am in love with you, and I know that because this”—he takes my unoccupied hand and puts it on his heart—“says so. And you know what they say?”

Still unable to form words, I shake my head.

“Always trust your heart.”

I nod and fight back tears as I wrap my arms around him.

“I’m not going to keep saying it and make you feel like you?—”

“No.” I look up at him.

“No?”

“Don’t stop saying it.” I laugh quietly as I wipe at the tears I know are going to fall.

“You sure it’s not going to make you feel pressured to?—”

“Unrequited love; that’s what I had with him. And the other? Pfft. I just wanted?—”

“A family.” He wipes a tear away.

“It sounds so wrong, and maybe?—”

“You’re going to be an awesome mom, Riley.”

“Damn right, I am.” I shake my head and sniff back more tears as I look down at the sunflower. “And I get to love you.” No, fuck them, I think as I look up into his eyes. Seriously … hot. “I have loved everything about the man you are for a really long freaking time. You’re amazing, and no one, especially them, get to determine when it’s right or not right to allow myself to fall into it. I do. I want to love you without caring that people may think it’s too soon or wrong. They’re wrong.”

“Damn right, they are.” He smirks as he pushes some hair behind my ear.

“So, my only concern is whether you think it’s too soon for me to look at you and say, Hudson Hart, I love you?”

He considers it for a moment then asks, “Can you say it again, just to be sure?” He doesn’t wait; he leans in and kisses me as I do just that.

“I love you, Hudson Hart.”

“I love you, Riley Brooks.”

“And … cut!”

“What the hell?” I dive into his arms.

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