Page 63 of Never Say Never

His glassy eyes meet mine. “I knew I couldn’t have you, but if I left here and never saw you, that would have killed me, Daisy.”

“Why, Tucker? Am I missing something here? Because I’ve watched you date practically every girl in Reed Point, all while keeping any guy who showed even an ounce of interest away from me.”

“Daisy, none of those girls really mattered to me because none of them were you. And I know it’s not fair, but if I couldn’t have you, then I couldn’t stand to see anyone else with you.”

My pulse beats like a drum as I try to understand what Tucker has just said. I’ve spent the past 10 years believing that I meant nothing to him.

“But you didn’t want me.” It comes out a whisper.

His eyes find mine, and now he’s the one who looks confused. “I said Icouldn’thave you. I’vewantedyou every day since that kiss. I wanted you before that kiss. There isn’t a time in my life I can remember my world not revolving around you.”

My eyes well until two tears fall down my cheeks. My head spins. And then I remember to breathe again.

“I spent so long trying to understand… and then I just convinced myself that you didn’t want me,” I sob. “You were just gone after that day.”

He pulls me into his chest, his hand sweeping through my hair as I try to stop the tears that are already leaving a mark on his T-shirt. “Daisy, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I never talked to you. I should have said something. I know now how badly I handled the situation.”

“You were scared,” I say through my tears. “It wasn’t all your fault.”

He pulls back, removing his fingers from my hair, framing my neck with his big, strong hands. “Can you forgive me? What do you need from me? Anything. I’ll do it.”

I search his gaze, not sure what I expect to see; I find pain in his deep blue eyes, but I also see the concern, the care he has for me. He looks so sure, so confident, and it has me wondering how I never saw it before. If over the years, I refused to see the want behind his eyes for fear of being wrong.

“I am so angry at your dad. I’m not sure how I’m going to forgive him, but of course, I forgive you, Tuck. You were just a kid.”

Tucker leans in, pressing his forehead to mine, his beautiful blue eyes clear and honest. I wish he hadn’t kept this from me, but the truth is I’m only mad at my uncle for putting Tucker in that impossible situation.

“I never forgot that kiss,” he whispers. “I couldn’t if I tried.”

I close my eyes as more tears fall. “It changed me forever. It has been imprinted on my heart, permanently tattooed there.”

I want to tell him that I’ve loved him since we were kids, that I’ve never been in love with anyone but him, but I don’t. Instead, I keep going, asking him where we go from here.

“What do you want, Tuck? What comes next?”

“I want you. I want all of you. No hiding. No sneaking around. I’m done with the secrets,” he whispers, his eyes blurry and red. “Be with me, Daisy. All in with me. I don’t want you going anywhere… because I won’t survive losing you again. My heart can’t take it.”

His words hit me straight in the chest. I am jarred by his vulnerability. “I want a say in us, Tuck. I need you to be honest with me from here on out. This is about what I want too. And I want… you.”

Tucker cradles my face in his hands. “If you’ll have me, Daisy, I’ll do anything to be with you.”

“I have waited my entire life for you to say that.” I run my finger along the side of his jaw. “Please tell me I’m not dreaming this?”

Tucker laughs, dropping his head on my shoulder. Then he reaches for my hands, placing them on either side of his face as he looks into my eyes. “Real. This is real. I’m here in front of you telling you I want you. And I’m praying like hell you want me too.”

“I’ve never wanted anything more.” I nod, my bottom lip trembling.

“It’s you and me, Daisy. From now on, we will figure things out together.” His lips brush over mine. “I’m not letting you go. Never again, Dais. No more stupid rules. You’re mine, do you understand? I don’t give a shit what my dad has to say. I am done letting anyone get in between us. It’s you and me, Dais—”

I silence him with my mouth, my hands gripping both sides of his jaw. Tucker’s mouth clings to mine as if he’s afraid to let me go, deepening the kiss before his tongue licks the inside of my mouth.

And I melt into him, swearing to myself that I’ll never let him go. That I’ll never again allow anyone to come in between us. It will be Tucker and me against the world.

He pulls me by my hips until I’m straddling him, and I lower myself onto his lap. He kisses a trail down my neck. “Tucker… I’ve missed you a lot.”

“I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere. Let me worship what’s mine.”

TWENTY-THREE

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