Page 76 of The Perfect Love

“I love that for you. Seriously. It’s healing for you, right?”

“Yeah. It is.”

“I’m glad you’re on that path. And I’m glad you’re here with me.” Something heavy settles over her like clouds on a stormy day.

So I squeeze her hand and drag her attention back to me. “I’m glad I’m here too. Thank you for letting me in.” I mean that inmore than just the literal sense. Whether she realizes it or not, opening the door for me today was more than physical. It was handing over a fraction of her trust. I’ll keep doing whatever is needed to earn it.

Again, she moves closer, this time until she’s right next to me, and I can wrap my arm around her.

After a beat, she looks up at me. “Now I feel like I should tell you—”

“You don’t need to,” I say quickly. “If you want to, I’m listening, but don’t do it unless you’re absolutely ready. I was ready to say all that. But I want you to know that vulnerability doesn’t need to be an exchange. Being vulnerable was a choice of mine. Whenever you’re vulnerable with me, even in the smallest ways, I want it to be because you want to, not because you feel like you owe me.”

She stares at me for a moment, blinking like she can’t believe I just said that.

Then her fingers skate over my arms and—

“Ow. Why did you just…”

I trail off when I see her smiling up at me, more than a hint of mischief dancing in her beautiful eyes.

She pinched me.Again.

My little hellion.

“You have to stop pinching me every time I do something you deem book boyfriend worthy. I’ll have welts all over me.”

She laughs, and it’s so vibrant and free, it’s hard to believe she was struggling a couple of hours ago.

She grabs her mug and nestles into my side with a contented sigh.

“Thank you for letting your guard down.” Her voice is soft, like the lull of cascading waves. “Is it okay if I say I’m getting there?”

“It’s perfect.”

We sit together in a silence that’s mostly comfortable, if tinged by the weight of things we’ve talked about—or haven’t yet.

After a few minutes, I finally say, “Maybe I should go.”

But Chelsea instantly grabs my arm, then turns to face me. “No. Stay. The reason I was hesitant to ask you to come in is because I’m not ready for anything sexual to happen yet, and I don’t know when I will be. But you’ve shown me over and over that you’re trustworthy. Letting you in today was me actively trusting you. And now that you’re here, I realize how silly it was to wait. Because somehow you make it cozier. More comfortable. And I want you…” She swallows and meets my gaze, eyes shimmering. “Today’s still a bit raw, and I’d love to snuggle on the couch with you. You always make me feel safe—cared for. I want to feel that.”

“I’m all yours.”

With that, I settle in again, truly relaxing for the first time tonight. She wants me here. I could get used to this feeling.

She grabs the remote control.

“Any preference on what we watch?”

“Nope. Put on whatever you were going to watch.”

“I hadn’t decided yet, but definitely a comfort show. Oh, I was thinking of starting my rewatch ofHaven. Have you ever seen it?”

“No. I’ve heard of it, though. Something supernatural-ish right?”

“Yeah. Plus, there’s a great love story at the center.”

“Let’s do it. But the deal is, if I get hooked, you’re not allowed to watch it without me.”

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