Page 60 of An Engagement Pact

He’s all mine.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” he says as he sets his phone on its magnetic charger and then climbs into bed beside me.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking too. I’m not the kind of girl to get the best guy. I’m the kind of girl who works and tries and daydreams but never has her dreams come true.”

“Well, something is wrong with a world where that was true.” He rolls over right beside me on his side and props his head on one arm. “Wait, you really think I’m the best guy?”

I choke on a laugh at his clueless sweetness. “Yes, of course you’re the best guy. Don’t you already know that?”

“No, I didn’t. I’ve just always assumed I’m the guy who everyone likes well enough but nobody...”

When he trails off, I frown and reach up to touch his cheek.

“Nobody loves,” he concludes in a self-conscious mumble.

Touched, I pull him down into a hug. “Well, something is wrong with a world where that was true,” I whisper. “But if it was true before, it definitely isn’t now.”

He shakes a few times—like an overflow of feeling—and then he readjusts to take some of his weight off me, using his forearms to support his upper body. “So tell me exactly when you fell in love with me,” he says with a teasing lilt in his voice.

“I don’t even know.” My cheeks are warming but not in a bad way. It’s a kind of vulnerability that feels good. Safe. “I know for sure it started that night you took me to the observatory in Charlotte. You really thought about me, about what I’d like, and tried to do something special for me. That was when I could really feel my heart in danger.”

“Why in danger?” he asks, a slight frown dimming the soft joy in his expression. “Did you really think I was some kind of player?”

“No! Of course not. Never for an instant. I knew you were a good guy. But I just never for even a moment believed you would take me seriously. That you would fall for someone like me. You were some kind of... of a dream man. And dream men only fall for me in my dreams.”

He chuckles at that. “Couldn’t you see I was already crazy about you?”

“Wh-what?”

“I was already crazy about you then. I was crazy about you before I ever asked you to fake the engagement. The first time I saw you, I was utterly transfixed. Ask anyone.”

I’m so startled and fluttery by that revelation that I can barely speak. I stare up at him, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, for way too long.

“You’re seriously surprised to hear this?” Dan shakes his head, clearly bewildered by my cluelessness.

“Yes! Of course I am. You didn’t act... I mean, I didn’t know you before, so I assumed the way you acted with me was the way you always acted. How was I supposed to know?”

“I don’t know. Maybe take a look at my face? Or listen to the things I was saying to you? Or notice that I could barely keep my hands off you?” He’s light and laughing and fond—clearly not at all resentful that I failed to pick up clues.

“But... I mean... How was...?” I burst into helpless giggles. “Are you saying it was some sort of love at first sight?”

“No. Not really. It was infatuation at first sight, no question. But once I got to know you, it transformed into love pretty quick. Carlton was right. I did ask a few other women to marry me first—just folks I already knew and thought I could get along with. And I’m so sorry if that hurts or embarrasses you. I didn’t know you then. But ever since I met you, there’s only been you for me. You’re the only one I was really hoping would take me up on the offer. You should have seen how disappointed I was after you said no the first time. It’s always only been you for me.” He pauses. “Didn’t I make it clear the first time we had sex that I was totally into you?”

“Uh...” My voice catches, and I have to clear my throat. “I assumed it was mostly an... an attraction thing.”

“It was attraction. And a whole lot more on top of that.” He kisses me gently. “Vicky, I’ve been totally gone on you for a really long time, but I knew you were hesitant and not sure about things, so I was trying to be a decent person and give you space and time.”

“You did do that.” I twine my arms around his neck. “You’ve been incredibly patient and understanding. I can’t believe all this time I was talking myself out of wanting you, you were already wanting me.”

He kisses me again, and this one lasts longer.

But eventually he pulls away. “But I do want to say this before we get distracted by other things. I’m so sorry about earlier tonight. You were asking me to open up to you and tell you the truth, and I was... I was so scared to do it. Because I didn’t know my feelings were returned. I knew we’d gotten closer, but you were still holding a lot back. And it felt like too much of a risk to make myself completely vulnerable. I’d... I’d never done it before.”

“I know that. I knew that. I was wanting the same thing, and it was wrong for me to put the responsibility entirely on you. I need to be vulnerable too. Just as much as you do. So... so I’m going to keep working on that.”

“Me too.”

This time when he kisses me, nothing gets in the way.

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