Page 124 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

My chest deflates, like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and it’s suddenly obvious to me what was happening all along.

I was falling for her.

Oh shit.

I love her.

I amin lovewith River White.

I’vebeenin love with her, probably longer than I care to admit. I’ve never hated her. I’ve just met her ire pound for pound because it was fun to mess with her.

I’ve always admired her, always looked forward to seeing her.

It’s never been hate. We’ve never been enemies.

We’re just idiots who can’t see what’s right in front of us.

“W-What?” She gapes up at me with wide eyes.

I exhale slowly and take a step toward her. Then another.

She gulps when we’re standing just six inches apart.

“You own me, River.”

“I… No. I don’t.”

I nod. “You do. You fucking do and it drives me mad that you do.”

She peers up at me, eyes full of surprise and worry and confusion and so many of the same things I’m feeling.

“I don’t know when it happened—maybe it’s always been the case—but it’s true. You’re smart and funny. You challenge me every fucking second of every day, always keeping me on my toes. And you’re drop-dead fucking gorgeous on top of it.”

She scoffs. “Yes, so hot right now.”

“Even right now, because you’re so authentically you. Unapologetic about who you are and what you want.”

“Please. I can hardly decide what I want for dinner most nights.”

“Stop trying to talk me out of it.”

She darts her tongue out, wetting her lips. Her eyes flit off to the side, looking anywhere but at me. “That’s not what it was supposed to be,” she says quietly.

I nod. “I know. But it just is what it is.”

Her breaths are coming in sharper. “No labels.”

Another step. “I know.”

“No pressure.”

Another, and we’re so close I can see the swirls of color in her eyes. “I know.”

“No attachments, Dean.”

I slide my finger under her chin and tilt her face up. Her bottom lip is captured between her teeth, and her eyes are full of so many emotions.

I give her a lazy grin. “Oops.”