Page 94 of Untamed Protector

“I pictured you when you wrote about feeling like a giant in a world of dwarves. Jake was shorter and more fragile, as you said.”

“With your eagle eyes and that memory like a steel trap, I’ll never get away with anything, will I?”

“Don’t worry,” she whispers. “If your love is anything like mine, these little things won’t bother you.”

“Did you say, love?” I ask, struck by her words.

“Gabriel,” she murmurs, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re not just father material; you’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m…” She hesitates, then leans in, her eyes sparkling with love, “…utterly, head-over-heels in love with you.”

I can’t even focus on driving with her words echoing in my head—she loves me. Lexi. She still hasn’t told me if she’ll stay with me. I’ve been avoiding talking about it for months to give her time to figure things out. I wanted her to be more than the Lexi consumed by revenge that had no other purpose, but now… the thought of empty days without her laugh, her warmth next to me at night, is unbearable. This could be it, Gabriel. This could be your chance to win her heart, to keep her forever.

I pull the car over in a parking lot as Lexi looks at me, confused. “Aren’t we going home? Why did you stop?”

God, I love the sound of the word home when she says it.

I know that sitting here in the car isn’t the ideal place to ask her, but I can’t wait any longer. I take off my seatbelt, turn to her, and hold her left hand in mine. She gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

“Lexi, I wanted to ask if you’d like to move in with me permanently. I want us to spend every night together and wake up in each other’s arms every morning. Whatever you decide about work or school, I’m behind you. I just want to be there for all the incredible things you deserve. I love you, Lexi, and I can’t imagine my life without you anymore.”

She leans back and pauses, a gentle blush blooming on her cheeks. It reminds me of the first time I touched her face, when the surprise sparked something sweet between us.

After a few minutes of me going through a whirlwind of emotions, she whispers, “I tried to find better words to give you the answer you deserved, but everything feels too complicated, too long, or too cheesy. I need you in my life, and the thought of you being a part of it makes me incredibly happy. My love, I’m so lucky to have found you.”

I press my lips to hers, a kiss as desperate and vital as the need for air, for life itself.

THE END

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