Page 117 of Steinbeck
And he smiled.
“Fine.Then where am I supposed to?—”
“With me, Miss Please Pay Attention.You’re injured.And I’m not letting you out of my sight.And besides, my mom makes amazing cinnamon rolls.”
She stilled.
“He’s not lying,” Nim said.“They are amazing cinnamon rolls.”
“You’re coming back with me to the King’s Inn.”
She gaped at him.“Oh, Stein.I don’t...I can’t...”
“You can.And you will.Declan is flying us back as soon as you’re discharged.”
She looked away and then heard the door close, and when she turned back, Stein stood alone.
“Where’d Nim go?”
“She probably doesn’t want to hear what I’m going to say to you.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s...sappy.And she’s protecting my man card.”
“Please.She cares nothing about?—”
“I love you, Emberly.”He stepped up to the bed, sighed, took her hand.“And Nim saw me...Let’s just say I was tired?—”
“Did youcry?”
He looked away, toward the ceiling.
“Steinbeck Kingston, you are many different people—arrogant and annoying, and tough and bossy, and?—”
“Incredibly hot, irresistible?—”
“And sweet.”
He gave a wry grin.
“Let’s go back to the I-love-you part.”
His impossibly blue eyes met hers.Oh, he was handsome.The kind of rugged, interesting, intoxicating handsome that made a girl want more of him every day.
“I love you.I love the person who is Phoenix, girl who always rises from the ashes, who isn’t afraid of...anything.”
“That’s not true.I’m afraid I’ll never get half of that Snickers bar.”
He sat down on her bed.“And I love Emberly, with her feisty, hot exterior but is soft and beautiful and fits in my arms.”
“And Ashley?”
“Oh, she has all the moves.But truth is, I love all the versions of you, and anyone else you want to be.I love your creativity and your smarts and the fact that when I’m with you, I know I’m on mission.”
“What mission is that?”
“To love the girl that Jesus loves.”
