Page 174 of Releasing 10
“I liked it even more that day in the fairy cave when you kissed me on the lips,” I forced myself to admit, my words barely more than a breathy whisper.
“You did?”
“Yeah, Hugh.”
Anxiety was gnawing at my gut because I wasn’t sure which way this would go, but Ihadto try. Ihadto make the first move if Hugh wasn’t going to. And he clearlywasn’t. September was closing in on us, and I had waited the entire summer for him to make a move, to kiss me again, but he hadn’t.
Exhaling shakily, I twisted onto my belly to face him and whispered, “And I really think you should do it again.”
“Liz…”
“Unless you don’t want to,” I hurried to add when I saw the uncertainty in his eyes. Suddenly, a wave of uncertainty of my own washed through me and I tried to backpedal. “You know what? I’m being silly—”
“Liz—”
“No, no, it’s okay.” Throwing the covers off, I scrambled away, feeling my face burn with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Hugh, just forget I said anything, okay? I shouldn’t have said that to—”
“Liz, stop, don’t go—”
“This was silly. I’m being silly. Don’t worry about it—”
“Liz!” Hugh snapped, and this time he caught my attention. “Come back.”
Exhaling shakily, I stepped back to his side and sank down on my knees.
Without saying a word, Hugh reached for my hand and raised it to his lips. Keeping his eyes on me, he turned it over and pressed a kiss to the scars covering my wrist.
My breath caught in my throat, and I thought my heart might burst. Shivering violently, I watched him kiss my shame away.Because those scars on my wrists depicted the ugliest parts of my mind. But Hugh kissed each one like they were beautiful. LikeIwas beautiful. Like I was stillme.
Unable to stop myself, I shifted closer, wanting to fold my body into his, wanting to give him all my broken pieces and see if he could work miracles and put me back together again. Because on nights like this, when my mind quietened and my heart beat strong, he made me feel like he could.
“I want to kiss you,” Hugh said, eyes locked on mine. “But I need to ask you a question first.”
“Uh, okay?” I breathed, chest rising and falling quickly.
“You’re my best friend, Liz, and I never want that to stop,” he said carefully, looking nervous. “But I don’t just love you like a friend anymore.” He flicked his attention to our joined hands and roughly cleared his throat. “I love you like a boyfriend loves his girlfriend.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.” He nodded slowly. “So I was wondering if you might consider loving me like a girlfriend loves her boyfriend?”
“I already do,” I strangled out, unable to stop the smile from spreading across my face. “I always have.”
His eyes searched mine hopefully. “Yeah?”
I nodded eagerly. “Always.”
“Oh, thank God,” Hugh replied, heaving out a huge, audible breath. “Because I’ve been wanting to ask you to be my girlfriend since 1994, and I don’t think I can hold it in another day.”
“I’ve been waiting to say yes since 1994,” I laughed, bursting with excitement. “Are you asking now, so I can finally say yes?”
“Yeah, Liz,” Hugh chuckled with a nod. “I’m asking now.” Shaking his head, he looked me in the eyes and asked, “Will you be my girlfriend?”
Finally.
“Yes!” I beamed at him. “I will.”
Hugh grinned. “Thank you.”
