Page 183 of The Snowball Effect

Emma squeezed her waist, as she spoke softly back, “I mean, this is why it is very important to know who is persona non grata to your roommates.”

Breathing out a chuckle, Regan nuzzled in closer to Emma, brushing the tip of her nose against the soft skin of her neck. “You’re right.”

Keeping her eyes closed, she whispered, “I want to tell you something, and I don’t want it to freak you out, and I really don’t want it to change anything we have going on between us. I really,really mean it – I don’t want anything to be different, but I need you to know, okay?”

She loved that Emma hadn’t released her, or even attempted to loosen this hold. She loved that Emma seemed just as content in this moment as she was.

She could feel Emma slowly nod. “Okay?”

Regan paused – for this one, heart-pounding moment – as nerves and excitement and comfort tangled together inside of her. Could Emma feel how hard her heart was beating?

“I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.” There. The words were out in the open, rather than just circling around in Regan’s mind before she fell asleep with Emma at night, and… it felt right.

In fact, as soon as she said it, everything inside of hersettled. Even as she felt Emma’s surprised, sharp inhale.

Still, Regan didn’t pull back from their embrace and didn’t let Emma pull away, either. Even when Emma’s arms went slightly slack around her.

“Now, I’m sayingpretty sure, because I’ve never been in love before, so I don’t have anything concrete to compare this feeling to,” she explained, pausing to press a brief kiss to Emma’s shoulder through the fabric of her shirt. “But the way I feel about you is exactly what I’d imagined being in love with someone would be like. Only better.”

“Regan…” Emma’s murmur of her name was halting, and throaty, and so quiet, Regan was fairly certain she only heard her because Emma’s mouth was right next to her ear.

She shook her head, intently. “I know it’s a little soon. I mean… kind of. I’ve known you for years, and we’ve shared an apartment for months, and I know everything about you, including your obsessive calendaring habits and the way you like to roll the toothpaste from the bottom of the tube–”

“It’s the right way,” Emma countered, sounding dazed, but – of course – she wasn’t going to not make the comment.

And, yeah, Reganlovedthat. Her lips pulled into a smile, as she smoothed her hands down Emma’s back, reveling in the touch.

“Anyway, I know it’s technically kind of soon, as in we’ve only been dating officially for a few weeks. And I know you take more time to process your feelings than I do. So, I don’t need you to say it back to me.” She narrowed her eyes in thought, and, “Honestly, I’d rather you didn’t. Not that I think you would ever say something of this magnitude unless you really felt it, but… that’s not why I’m telling you.”

“It’s not,” Emma faintly echoed, her breath warm against Regan’s ear.

“No. I’m telling you because I want you to know how I feel. I like to be able to tell you everything.” With that, Regan took in another deep breath of Emma’s scent, pressed one more kiss to the side of her throat, and pulled back enough to look up at Emma’s face.

Which, to her credit, didn’t look like Emma was going to run for the hills, so that was great! Regan would take it.

Feeling a wide smile break over her face, Regan rocked up to her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Emma’s lips. Something soft but full. A greeting and gratitude and anI love you!in a brief moment.

She pulled back, gently sliding her hands down Emma’s arms. She wondered if Emma knew she was still gripping Regan’s waist, or if it was just reflex, as she tried to sort through her thoughts after Regan’s confession.

Studying Emma’s face, the sharp planes and gentle curves of it – Regan felt an easy calm take a hold of her, reaffirming everything. “Yeah. I love you.”

Emma’s face flushed as soon as Regan said the words, and she was absolutelydelightedby the way Emma seemed shocked and pleased and hesitant and so unsure of how to respond.

Thatwas her Emma.

Regan reached up to stroke her fingertips over Emma’s jaw. “Don’t freak out, please.”

“I’m not,” Emma answered immediately, frowning down at Regan. “I’m just – thinking.”

“Okay,” Regan accepted, tilting her head up at her. “I mean, you had to know this would be how this moment would go.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know.” Regan arched an incredulous look up at her. “I kissed you, first. I told you I was attracted to you, first. I told you I had feelings for you, first. I got you to agree to go on a date.” She shrugged, easily. “Me telling you that I love you first is the next step.”

Emma’s eyebrows knit tightly together indignantly and she shook her head. “What about the fact that I initiated us having sex first? Doesn’t that count for something?”

Regan found her self-righteousness ridiculously cute.

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