Page 100 of My Best Years

My heart flutters as I cup the side of her face. I look into her eyes—irises that remind me of silver moonlight cascading against dark ocean waves. Then, I lay my heart bare against the fire.

“You,” I confess. “I love you, my Birdie Wren. I never stopped loving you. Even when I tried to treat you like a ghost, my soul left my body when my head hit the pillow to be with you in sleep. In the dead of night, when most people succumb to nothingness, I was with you. You were always with me, Birdie—even on my darkest nights. And I owe you my life because of it. I will love you until my lungs give out. When my heart stops beating, I’ll wait for you. And when the time comes for us to leave this world together, I’ll follow you into the abyss.”

Silence falls between us as Birdie’s eyes brim with affection. I savor her touch as she reaches up and threads her fingers through my curls.

“Callum…” Tears spill from the corners of her eyes.

I bend down and kiss them away. One by one.

“Callum, look at me,” she repeats, her voice trembling.

My gaze snaps up to meet hers. She opens her mouth to speak but can’t get a word past her quivering lips.

“What is it, baby?”

Her brows draw together as she shakes her head, overcome with emotion.

“Birdie,” I rush out. “You don’t have to respond. I didn’t say it because I expected you to say it back. I just wanted you to know.”

A wave of relief fills my chest when I see her lips curve up in a soft smile.

“Callum Pierce, would you just shut up?” she chuckles lightly. “I just… I needed a minute.”

I furrow my brows in confusion.

Her expression turns serious as she inhales a choppy breath.

“I don’t think you understand how much I love you, Callum.”

And my heart stops.

It fucking forgets how to beat.

“You were my first true friend,” she continues. “My first crush. My first love. You were the first person I ever trusted with my body. You were my first and only heartbreak. You’ve had all of my firsts, and I’ll be damned if you’re not my last. I didn’t give you all of my firsts for free,” she chuckles as tears spring from both our eyes.

“I love you, Callum,” she whispers as her thumbs caress my cheeks. “Loving you was never a choice for me, and I despised you because of it for so long. I wanted to hate you. I wanted to fall in love with someone new, so I could finally get over you. But that’s the thing, you were never just a high school fling for me. You’re the person who holds the key to all of my core memories. You’re the boy who helped me up after I skinned myknees on the pavement. I grew up with your hand in mine. The first time I ever felt butterflies dance around in my stomach was when you smiled at me. Because of you, I know what it feels like to experience a million emotions all at once. Even when I felt like dying, my heart kept beating for you. The only man I’ve ever loved.”

Fuck.

She’s wrecking me right now.

I’m wrecked.

I can barely see her beautiful face from the tears blurring my vision.

My chest shakes as I try to find my breath.

I love this woman so much. She’s the strongest, most gentle-hearted human I’ve ever met. After everything I’ve put her through, she’s still here. Laying her heart on the fire next to mine.

“Birdie Wren,” I croak. One of my tears splashes against her cheek, mixing with hers. “I need you. I need to be inside of you. I need to be as close to you as possible. I love you so fucking much. Words just aren't enough.”

I let out a strangled groan when Birdie slides her hand between our bodies and wraps her fingers around my cock. My jaw clenches with restraint as she strokes me with her soft fingers.

She crawls back further onto the bed before opening her thighs wider.

“Oh God,” she whimpers, throwing her head back as I lean down and seal my mouth around one of her peaked nipples.

I take my time kissing both of her tender breasts, tonguing each of her hard nipples. She squirms in pleasure when I bite down on the erect buds before soothing them with tender licks. I could spend all night with my mouth on her perfect tits.

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