Page 81 of French Martini

“Maybe Sunday,” Oakley says in a low, deep voice that shoots straight between my legs.

I nod. “Maybe Sunday.”

The doors open on our floor and I exit. It feels like I’m stepping directly into the next phase of my life. One where Paris is firmly in the past, as well as all the baggage that came with it, and the future is full of friends, projects, and Oakley.

I might be scared, but I was scared to do a lot of things in my life that I’ve done anyway. If he trusts me with his heart, I can learn to trust myself with it too.

TWENTY-FOUR

LOWEN

Oakley swipeshis key card to open our door and my nerves kick up just a bit, but I push it down. Before I can make it to the sofa, Oakley turns around and scoops me off my feet, tossing me over his shoulder.

“Oh my god.” I kick my legs and giggle. “What are you doing?”

“Everything.” He lays me down gently on the bed, hovering over me. “Do you know how hard it was to be good all night?” Taking my hand, he presses it to his bulge. “That hard.”

“How will we handle it?”

His gaze softens as he leans down close enough to kiss me, but he doesn’t. “I’m so damn crazy about you, Low. I know you aren’t ready to hear all the things inside me, but it’s killing me not to tell you.”

Swallowing hard, I loop my arms around his neck. “I can handle it.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure? ’Cause it’s a lot.”

“I faced a lot of things tonight, this whole week, that were hard and scary, but being with you isn’t either of those things. I’m ready to hear it if you’re ready to tell me.”

Oakley looks relieved as a smile spreads across his lips. “The minute I saw you, I was done for. Not just because of your incredible looks, but the way you command a room. The walk-through we did of Moby’s, this run-down piece of shit place…”

We both laugh.

“I thought it was gonna be a simple sports bar, and then you told me your vision, and I was like, this guy is fucking brilliant. The way you were so particular about every detail, seeing it through the eyes of the customers you wanted to attract, it was so much more than I was used to. The more time we spent together, the more time I wanted with you. I don’t know the exact moment it happened, Low, but I know without a single doubt that I’m absolutely in love with you.”

Oh god.

“And I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of your love in return. If it takes twenty years, that’s fine. I’m not going anywhere.”

Oh god.

“You okay? You said you could handle it.”

I nod, pushing myself up to rest on my elbows. “I can. It’s just, um…” I blow out a shaky breath to keep from crying. “It’s the first time I’ve heard…” I sniff. “Sorry.”

“That’s the first time you’ve been told ‘I love you?’”

I nod, fanning my eyes. “Weird, right? I was married.” I chuckle, but it’s bitter. “I didn’t know hearing that you loved me would feel like the first sunny spring day after a long winter. I didn’t know it would change how I see myself.”

“Kitten…”

“I think I might be cracking open as we speak.” I rub my sternum. “I built a mighty wall around my heart, and you’ve been standing there with a chisel all along, haven’t you?”

“Yep. I’m surprised it took you so long to see it.”

I smile, twisting his beard. “Maybe I did, but I didn’t know what it meant. Or maybe I was scared to accept it.”

“And now?”

“In the elevator, I realized something. It was really good for me to be able to process everything that happened in Paris and make peace with it.”

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