Page 122 of Play Pretend

My lips twisted to the side, and her brows creased. “Are you sure that was it?” she murmured. “I feel like there’s something else.”

Taking a deep breath, I wrapped my hand around hers and brought it to my lips, pressing a lingering kiss to the back of her knuckles. “I was thinking about you,” I murmured. She blinked, and a deeper blush settled on her cheeks.

“Hopefully all good things.”

My hand fell to her waist, my other one clutching the picnic basket. Was now the right time? I didn’t know. I didn’t want to mess anything up.

Was it too soon? Would she think I was a psychopath for admitting my love for her after just a few weeks? But did timelines really matter when you knew what you felt? When your feelings werethisstrong?Thisreal?

“Okay, you’re scaring me now,” she laughed nervously. “What’s going on?”

My throat was suddenly too dry as I tried to speak, but I forced the words out. “You’ve changed my life,” I rasped. Her eyes flicked between mine, but they were guarded, like she was expecting the worst. Roughly, I cleared my throat and continued. “Everything has changed so much in such a short time.”

“I—I’m sorry,” she breathed. “I didn't realize—I?—”

“No.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “This is coming out wrong.”

She tried to tug her hand from my grasp, but I tightened my hold.

“Ronan, if you’re having second thoughts?—”

“I’m not,” I blurted, all but shouting the words. A deep breath filled my lungs as I searched for the right way to say this. I didn’t want to freak her out or push her too fast, but I couldn’t hold back anymore.

Reaching up, I cupped her cheek. Gently, my thumb smoothed over her soft skin, but she didn’t lean into me like she usually did. She held herself stiffly, like she was bracing herself for a verbal blow.

She tried to look away, but I guided her face back to mine. I needed her to look at me—I needed her to hear every word.

“I feel like I’ve waited my entire life for you, baby. You’re my world.Youare my lighthouse, Willow,” I rasped, my voice thick with emotion. Tears lined her pretty green eyes, and the sight nearly gutted me. “You’re my beacon home.”

She choked on a sob as a tear slipped from her eye. I brushed it away with my thumb and took a step closer.

“I know this is probably too soon for you.” My brows pushed together as I swallowed thickly, my heart in my throat. “And you don’t have to say anything—you don’t have to say it back. But?—”

“I love you,” she whispered the three words so quietly, so inaudibly, I thought I imagined them. But then she shuffled closer, her feet sliding along the rocks and twigs. “I love you.” She said it again, her voice barely stronger.

I couldn’t breathe. My world was spinning out of control, because the girl I was in love withloved me back.

Willow’s eyes stayed on mine, waiting, her breath held in her chest. I felt the words form on my lips, and I heard them as I said them, but it felt like a dream.

“I love you, Willow Gray,” I rasped. “I love you more than all the grains of sand on the beach, more than all the stars in the sky. I’ll love you until I take my last breath, and then—” I choked on my emotions. “And then I’ll love you in whatever comes next. Whether it be an afterlife, or another lifetime. It doesn’t matter because I’ll love you until everything ceases to exist. Until the stars stop shining, until the sun goes out, until the world shrivels up and all that’s left is dust. I’ll love you through it all, Willow.”

Tears streamed from her eyes, staining her cheeks, but the smile that split her face told me they weren’t sad tears—she was happy.

The basket fell to the ground as she threw her arms around my neck. Her lips were heavy against mine, nearly crushing.They were slick with her tears—or maybe they were mine. I dug my fingers into the softness of her waist, holding her body close.

My cock strained against my jeans, pressing against her stomach. I knew she could feel it, it was hard and thick, and fucking aching for her. But not now—I couldn’t?—

“Ro,” she whimpered, her fingers tugging on the hair at the nape of my neck. That sound was so full of need, of lust, of as much desperation as I felt, and I didn’t care anymore. I couldn’t hold back, couldn’t control myself.

Lifting her, she wrapped her legs around my waist. I carried her a few feet to the nearest tree and rested her back against it. A squeak left her, but I couldn’t focus on that, on anything other than getting her fucking jeans off.

I trailed my lips along her jaw, down her neck, sucking and kissing my way to her chest. Her shirt was low-cut and easy to shove down, exposing her bra. Her nipple was hard beneath the lacy fabric, and I reached out, gently tugging on it with my fingers.

“Take your pants off,” I rasped, dropping her feet to the ground. “Then turn around and hold on to the tree.” She scrambled to obey, shoving her jeans down to her knees as I fumbled with the button of mine.

My cock sprang free, and I fisted myself. I’d never done anything like this—never anything in public where we could be caught, but the possibility, though I knew it was impossible, sent wave after wave of excitement through me.

We were too secluded, and no one other than my family knew about this place. We were safe—shewas safe.

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