Page 97 of Until I Have You

Theo glances my way.

“I think about you all the time,” I say.“Which is why Sonia knowing…it’s killing me, Theo.”

He threads his fingers through mine.“You’re young, Abigail.Don’t waste your energy on someone like me.”

“Someone who is caring and wonderful and has given me more orgasms in a couple months than I’ve had in my life?”

Theo’s cheeks are purple in the blueness of the night as he laughs, throwing his head back.“Well, again, you’re young.There are plenty of men out there who could fill–”

“There aren’t.”My voice chokes in my throat.

Theo’s brow pinches at the center.His hand tightens on mine.“Abigail…”

“If we can only have these two months, I want them,” I say as clear as a bell.“I want as much time with you as I can.”

“I want that too, Abigail, but your father–”

“Fuck him,” I spit, harsher than I mean to.“If it upsets him, he’s a hypocrite.Sonia too.”

Theo laughs softly.“You are absolutely enchanting, you know that?So full of fire.”

“You can’t say that just because I have red hair.”

“Not just that, love.”He cups my cheek in his hand.

I never thought it possible to look into a man’s eyes and feel like I could live there.But that’s how I feel in Theo’s eyes.

Still, the concern does not leave his face.“Abigail, this is dangerous for me.”

“I’ll take the blame.He can’t disown his own daughter for–”

“Not because of that.Notonlybecause of that.”His thumb comes down my chin, and he tilts his head to the side.“I’m falling for you, Abigail.”

I’m falling for you too.

“And that’s too complicated for what two months offers us.”

“You want to end things?”My voice warbles.

Theo wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close.

I am warm again.

He shakes his head.“I thought it would break my heart to never have you, but the thought of you walking away from me–”

“What if we ignore the two-month limit?What if we stay together and–”

“And have your father come after me with a pitchfork?”

“You wouldn’t face a few pitchforks and angry townspeople for me?”

Theo looks me in the eye.“I would.I absolutely would.”

I fist the front of his shirt, drawing myself close.

“But Bonnie…I have to put her first.She needs family.And she needs consistency.”

My mouth falls.“Which I can’t give her if I’m gone.”

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