Page 208 of The Maxwell Brothers
"Yeah, let’s go."
Declan came out with us. He'd parked across from the bar. I shivered, and Tyler put an arm around me. Then I shivered even more, fretting about the rest of the evening. I felt guilty for not telling him until now. This was not how I’d hoped he'd find out.
Declan unlocked his trunk, and Tyler took out his bag.
"Want me to drive you two home?” Declan offered. “It's just a block."
Tyler looked at me. "Kendra, you want him to drive us? We can Uber or walk, but you're wearing heels."
I melted a little at the fact that even though he was mad, he was still considerate enough to ask about my shoes. "Let’s walk. Some fresh air will do me good."
"Okay, then, I'm going back inside with the group,” Declan said. “Actually, wait a second. I’ll be the only dude hanging out at a girls’ evening. What does that make me?"
Tyler patted his shoulder. "Girls' night crasher? I'll let you work out that conundrum for yourself."
We walked away, hand in hand, and Tyler didn't speak one word. I felt a bit tense. He was silent even after we entered his condo. I was expecting him to say something, but he looked lost in thought, as if he was trying to figure something out.
"Tyler?" I asked tentatively.
He put his bag to one side, squaring his shoulders and looking me straight in the eye. Coming closer, he cupped my face.
"Kendra, I meant every word, babe. You're important to me. Yes, hockey's been my whole life, but that was before I met you. I don't want you to keep anything from me no matter what is going on in my life. You are a priority. You aremypriority. Do you understand that?"
I nodded but didn't say anything because I had a huge and heavy knot in my throat.
"You don't think I’ll stick around? Is that why you didn't tell me?"
I put my hands over his, shaking my head frantically. "No, that's not it." Then I sighed because it dawned on me that he might be right. “Not consciously. Okay, maybe it was just a little bit.”
More silence followed. He was looking straight at me. Was I unconsciously fearing people might bolt because Mom’s boyfriends did?
"Kendra, I want the privilege to do that. To come through for you every single time and be by your side, know when you're down and lift you back up, be your man no matter what."
My heart seemed to increase in size with every second. Pushing myself up on my tiptoes, I brought my mouth to his and kissed him. I needed him so much. I needed to feel close to him.
Kissing him gently at first, I feathered my mouth over his upper lip and then the lower one. Then I ran my tongue over the lower one, just with the tip. I felt his arms tense around me.
"I love you," I whispered.
Tyler was the one who kissed me now, claiming my mouth and burying a hand in my hair. "I love you too, babe. Fuck, how I love you."
“It's the first time I’ve ever said it," I whispered.
"It's the same for me."
I felt my eyes widen.
"I've never felt like this about anyone else. I love you, Kendra. Do you understand me?"
I nodded, completely overwhelmed by his declaration.
"Now, come on,” he urged. “Tell me everything in detail, okay? Don't leave anything out."
Taking my hand, he led me deeper inside the condo, and we sat on the couch.
"There isn’t much to the story, just what I said before. Up until last year, I worked at a diner as a waitress during weekends, and, well, I wasn't on good terms with the boss when I left there, and then he just kept ‘forgetting’ to pay my last two paychecks. I didn't ask him for it because I was too proud. But anyway, now with the house payments, I do need it."
"Babe, why didn't you tell me you needed money? I can always help."
