Page 123 of Charmed, I'm Sure
Taylor said something, but his voice sounded distant, muffled, like he was talking underwater andsomehowstill too loud.
Not. Good.
I needed food. Needed the darkest corner possible so I could bury my head until this passed.
A loud noise cracked to my left, and I flinched, my jaw clenching as it reverberated in my skull. Pressing my fingers firmly into my temples, I concentrated on my breathing.Long inhales through the nose, slow and even exhales through the mouth.Over and over until the throbbing dulled enough that I could peel my eyes open without wanting to hurl.
“Come on, baby. I’ve got you,” Taylor murmured, his arms wrapping around me as he pulled me from the car.
I clung to him like a koala as he walked us the ten measly feet to his front door. He set me down on the porch swing, the jingle of his keys sounding more like a gong as he undid the latch. Then, before I could even think about standing, he scooped me up again and carried me bridal style into the house.
A tiny flutter stirred in my chest.Carried over the threshold.
The thought sent a cascade of images through my mind—late-night porch swings, dancing in the kitchen, spending endless nights wrapped in his arms. Candlelit dinners, streaks of gray threading through our hair. Tiny, blonde-haired, blue-eyed—
Whoa.
I didn’t even know I wanted kids.
Did I want kids?
I cracked an eye open, peering up at Taylor as he maneuvered through the house.Blessed Mother, he was gorgeous.But more than that, he was strong, steady, and kind. The kind of man women dreamed about bringing home to meet their families.
And through all the chaos, thisbeautiful, wonderfulman still chose me. Again and again.
The last eight days without him had sucked. I hadn’t realized just how much I leaned on him until he wasn’t there to hold me. CleaningCharCutiehad been a decent distraction during the day, but at night?At night, I drowned my dumbass decision to ask for space in canned whip cream and cookie dough ice cream.
But when I got the news about Aunt Evie, he was the first person I wanted to call.
Did Ineedhim in my life? No. I’d survived thirty years just fine without him. Hell, I’d even thanked the Mother and did a little dance when he finally left town all those years ago.
But now?
Now Iwantedhim in my life. I wanted to wake up every day curled in his arms, to watch sunrises and sunsets together while the dogs he wanted so badly ran through the yard. I wanted him to hold me through the bad moments and celebrate the good ones.
Love was selfish like that, always looking for what the other person could do for you. But it was also selfless when reciprocated.
And Mother above, I wanted those things forhimtoo. I wanted to be the person he leaned on, to be his safe harbor in the storm of life. To share his burdens. He deserved someone who would give that to him and so much more.
And I wanted to be that person for him.
Tears pricked my eyes as Ireally, trulylooked at him. Not just at his face or his body, but at thesoulinside.
The man who had once been the bane of my existence had somehow wormed his way into my heart.
And made himself at home there.
I was falling. Hard.
No—scratch that.
I’d alreadyfallen.
Three words I never imagined saying blared to life in my brain, big and bright and fluorescent. My breath caught.
I love you.
Taylor glanced down at me, a smirk tugging at one corner of his lips. “You’ve gotta stop looking at me like that, sunshine. You’re gonna give me a complex.”
