Page 67 of My Promise To Keep

I close the book and turn to look up at him with tears in my eyes.

‘What…’

‘We are connected, Zo. We always have been, and it will be a lot for our family to get used to, but they will get used to it.’

‘You liked me all this time.’

He smiles. ‘I more thanlikedyou, munch.’

He reaches up to my cheek and guides me to him, bringing our lips together in a tender kiss. Then he moves, guiding me to lay back on the bed as his body moves over mine.

I feel him starting to harden against me, and my heart races.

‘You asked, what now? Baby, I don’t give a damn about the hows and whys as long as I get to have you like this.’

He leans down to kiss me again, and I widen my legs to let him in closer. As he kisses my jaw, I smile.

‘You mean you only want me for my body?’ I ask, and he pulls back.

‘Oh, baby, I want it all with you, but your body is a start.’

Together, we move backward onto the bed, and he holds himself over me as his fingers move to my inner thighs and slowly trail up.

‘That day…’ he inhales and breathes it out as he holds my gaze with his. ‘You thought I was relieved that it was negative, but you read me all wrong. You read me while I was still daydreaming about a life with you, a family with you. We both needed some time, but I’m all in, munch. I always was. I was just waiting for you to catch up.’Oh my god.‘I’m giving you forever, and you’re damn well going to take it.’

Laying in the dimlight of Leo’s bedroom, my head on his chest, his fingers lazily running up and down my spine, I feel happy. I feel calm. This is right.

‘You’re sure about this?’ I ask sleepily.

‘Why do you keep doubting me, munch?’

‘You’ve never had a real relationship — you might not like it. I don’t want us to tell our families for you to decide it’s not for you.’

‘Munch, I never got serious with anyone because I was waiting for you.’

I close my eyes and inhale deeply, filling up my lungs with his scent and feeling it relax my body even further.

‘I’m sorry, Leo. I’m sorry that I never realized.’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘I loved him.’

‘I know.’

‘But if I’d known…’

‘Zo, you loved him, and I love that you did. He was the best man. You deserved longer with him. He deserved to have you love him the way you did.’

‘It’s a little weird talking about him when we’re both naked.’ He laughs softly under me, shaking my body with his, and I smile. ‘I talked to him. He knows all about us.’

‘So, we’re anus?’

‘Well, Bree knows everything.’

‘And what does she think?’

‘She thinks I’m an idiot for taking so long.’

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