Page 154 of The Wingman

All the birthday gifts he gave me over the years. All the times he smiled at me and his gaze lingered a moment longer than other people’s gazes would.

Weddings stir up emotions within people. I know this. And I know Hayden and I are new and fresh.

I watched Jamie and Pippa get married, and I thought about Hayden and me up there instead.

“Why did you agree to be my wingman?” I ask, barely above a whisper.

He sits back on his knees, regarding me, resting his warm, strong hands on the back of my calves. “Because he never gave you choices.” His brow furrows like he’s remembering it. “How could you possibly say no in that situation?” His throat works. “I agreed to wingman you and teach you to be a player because I wanted you to have choice and control. I wanted you to feel strong and make decisions for yourself.” He huffs. “Even if it fucking killed me to watch you date other guys.”

My throat tightens with emotion. For the first time, I feel truly seen. No matter what, Hayden’s watching out for me. He always was.

He’s so selfless. The universe used all the best ingredients when they made Hayden Owens.

He gets to his feet and takes the seat beside me. His lips press to my forehead, hands framing my jaw. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” My heart trips. “Everything’s better than ever. Too good to be true, I think.”

His mouth tilts into a smile. “I know the feeling.”

“I told myself you were a player and didn’t want a girlfriend or commitment, because if you did want those things, you’d be perfect.” My heart beats harder as he watches me, listening, absently playing with my hair. “And then I’d have no reason not to feel all the things I feel for you.”

“Like what?”

My hands settle on his firm chest, toying with the seams of his shirt. “I’d realize how kind and loving you are, how you light up every room with your sense of humor and your smile. How you’re so much more than a pretty face and a good fuck.” My stomach twists in anger that anyone could have ever said that to him. “You care about people and you make people feel seenand special. You grew my confidence and helped me find myself when I didn’t know how.”

If he ever wanted those things that Jamie and Rory have—the fiancée, the settled-down life—he’d make someone deliriously happy.

Yearning yanks tight in my chest. I want that someone to beme.

I love him.

His mouth tips up into a gentle smile, and he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “Watching you become who you want to be, Darce, has been the best experience of my life.”

I blink, and my pulse stumbles. Oh, god. I love Hayden. Of course I love him.

How could I not? He’s wonderful. He’s kind, affectionate, funny, optimistic, and hardworking. But it’s more than that. It’s that we love so many of the same things. That I love how he cringes when I hide that stupid gnome around our apartment. That he gets me the perfect gift I didn’t know I wanted.

I take another deep breath, trying to settle my racing heart, and inhale a lungful of Hayden’s scent. My skin tingles where he’s touching my hair, tucking it over my ears and pushing it back behind my shoulders, and I’m flooded with impatience. I don’t want to spend another moment sitting here and talking.

I’m not ready to tell him how I feel, but I can show him.

I slip my hand into his and pull him to the bedroom.

CHAPTER 75

HAYDEN

She loves me.Darcy sees past all the ideas people have put into my head about who I am, and she loves me. She hasn’t said it, but I know she feels it.

She holds my heart in the palm of her delicate hand.

In the bedroom, I press soft kisses to her neck, letting her sweet scent wash over me. She’s trying to undo the buttons on my shirt, but I suck the sensitive skin beneath her ear, and her fingers fumble.

“Can’t think when you do that,” she murmurs, so I do it again, and she moans.

Our lips meet and I tease her tongue with mine, savoring her, coaxing her, claiming her. Darcy’s mine; I tell her that with every stroke of my tongue against hers, with every brush of my fingers over her skin, with every breath we share. She nips my bottom lip, pushing me further, and my pulse thickens.

My fingers come to the side zip, and I slide it down. “I love you in this dress, but it’s time for it to come off.”

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