Page 112 of Until I Have You

I don’t speak.Don’t want to take control of the situation from her, but also don’t want to leave her hanging.

“So now my dad tells me what I can’t have.Despite me being a grown woman who knows what she wants.”

Me.She wants me.

Abigail huffs out a hard breath.“And if you start telling me what’s good for me, telling me what I’m supposed to do…that’ll kill me, Theo.”

“Oh, Abigail, please, I would never–”

“Aren’t you happy to see me?”A tear slides down her cheek.

The last thing I want to do is make her cry.Ever.

“You promised you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“I did, love, I did…” I step toward her, take her face in my hands, wiping away the tears.“But not hurting you means not taking you from the people who love you.Your family…you only get one.”

Abigail’s hands fly to my sides.“I only get one of you too.”

I want to refute her.Say that it’s not true, there are so many men out there for her to seek out, men who are younger, without children, who aren’t her father’s friends, or ex-friends.

I’ve argued with her over my worthiness so many times.And what has that got me?

So, I don’t argue.I drop my forehead to hers.“Abigail, I want your happiness more than anything.”

“I want your happiness more than anything, too.Why can’t I want that, Theo?”

“You can, but yourfamily…”

“Let me choose you.Please let me.”

“For two months?We only have two months, Abigail.”

“Yes,yes.Any time is better than none at all.”

I push strands of her silk hair out of her face, taking in all the details of her beauty.Beauty that has chosen me.Me.

I still can’t believe it.

Promise me you’re sure.That’s what I want to say.I want to ask again and again if she’s sure.But that would be taking away all her power, and if Abigail is choosing me, she’s trusting me to keep her power safe.

I have to take her at her word.

So, I kiss her.A soft and chaste kiss, a kiss unlike most of the kisses we’ve ever shared because up until last night, the feelings between us were secondary to the explosive chemistry.

In this kiss, I want her to feel my presence.Mybeing.For her, all for her.

Abigail smiles against my mouth.

When our mouths part, I have to revisit reality.“So, what does this mean?How does this look?”

“I already stopped by the house and packed my bag.I can’t stay with my family.I could start looking for my own place.Or I could get a hotel room.”

“I have a guest room.You can stay here.”

She narrows her eyes, my cheeky, playful girl.“You’re going to have me stay in your guest room?”

“Only for Bonnie’s sake.Not because I don’t want you in my bed, believe me.”

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