Page 109 of Red Flag, Green Light

My panicked heart crashes into my ribs, shattering the bone. “You…still want to marry me?”

“More than ever.”

“But… I’ve lied to you. I’ve kept my identity secret. I’ve kept massive secrets. I…” I lamely reference the monitors depicting her house, which I watch,constantly. Just dying for a glimpse…just one glimpse…of her. Heck. I turned them on today because I’m sick, but desperate to see her. And now my desperation has become my downfall.

As, truly, I always figured it would.

“I don’t consider omission lying,” she says, matter-of-factly. “People are allowed to have their privacy.”

Yes. Agree. Big agree. Yet, if you will note, my love, that did not stop me from infringing upon yours? A lot. At every available opportunity, if we’re going to be blunt about it.

She looks back at my monitors when I glance at them myself, trying to compile words in my foggy brain to express how correct she is and how wrong I am. Once her attention returns to me, she says, “There are exceptions to the rules. Particularly when you’re dealing with a dark romance girlie.”

I. Flagging. Knew. It.

“So you…don’t hate me?” I ask.

“No. Not even a little bit.”

I swallow, hard, past my sore throat. “And you…aren’t disgusted?”

“I am overflowing with attraction.”

“I’m a ball of insecurities.”

“Relatable.”

“A-and my shoulders…they’re still…modest.”

“Hot. Perfect. Will bite someday.”

I think I’m actually too ill for this conversation. Melting back into bed, I hide from the most angelic woman in the world by tugging my blankets up to my stuffy nose.

Something lights in her eyes, breeding excitement, and she closes in, merciless. “You’re anauthor.”

“Half an author,” I murmur into my protective blanket.

“And you’re going to be my husband.”

That is true… That isstilltrue. Despite all of this. I wish I were well enough to understand exactly how precious and uncanny that is.

She beams. “You can write me books.Andwe can act them out.”

Lord have mercy. Of course that’s where her mind goes. My Sara, my Ceres…is absolutely, unequivocallynuts. I pull my blanket over my head and sink into the security of the darkness.“What…fun.”

What blissful torture.

“Mars?”

This is it. This is the moment it clicks in her brain and she says we’re done.

“Yes…my dearest love?” I peek from beneath my comforter at her, expecting fury, retribution, a revelation on how messed up I am.

It does not come.

Heat coasts across her cheeks until the shade matches her beautiful hair and highlights her perfect birthmark. “I’m sorry for all the nonsense I’ve said about your male lead and if any of it has hurt you personally. You’re not genre standard. But that’s okay. Because I like you just the way you are.”

I can barely swallow.

---