Page 127 of The Love You Fight For
I nod again. I nod some more. And then I just do it.
“I love you,” I blurt, and he smiles immediately, which makes me smile despite the tears prickling my eyes. “I am in love with you, and I wanted to tell you that. You’re my peace and my comfort, and I love you.”
My voice breaks on the last word and I clamp my mouth, but my cheeks hurt from trying not to grin like an idiot. Crying and smiling. I’m so gone for him.
“Can I take the mask off now?” he asks, and I reach up and pull it off his face with a laugh.
He meets my eyes with his, and all I see is love. Love and acceptance, and I feel all of it.
“I love you too,” he says, then leans in and kisses me.
It’s the softest, sweetest, most loving kiss in the world, and I nearly melt. I almost forget entirely why I’m here in the first place. My tears fall more quickly, and I have to pull back to stifle a whimper.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, wiping at my eyes. “I’m sorry. This should be happy and I’m ruining it.”
“You’ve ruined nothing.” He cups my face and rubs his thumb gently over my cheek. “You can cry.”
“It’s just...I’m just...”
“It’s scary,” he finishes, and I nod, grateful that he gets it.
“I love you. I love you so much that it physically hurts sometimes, and I’m just...I’m just not used to that. You’re terrifying.” I groan. “Fuck, I’m messing this up.”
He presses his lips to my forehead, soft yet firm.
“You scare me, too,” he whispers. “It’s terrifying to realize that someone has so much power over you. You’ve got my heart in your hands, princess, and I’m drawn to you. Your moods. Your desires. Your pains and dreams. Even the darkest, most private parts of you. I’m drawn to every part of you. You own me, and it’s a risk to be so vulnerable with another person. It’s scary to be at their mercy.”
I nod, but I can’t speak. I swallow back another whimper. He gets it. I should have known he’d get it. It relaxes the swirling vortex of my thoughts to know he feels it too. He feels it for me.
“Can you open your eyes for me?” he asks, so reluctantly, I do.
His warm brown irises are shimmering, and there are tear tracks on his cheeks, leading into his scruff. I laugh lightly and wipe them away gently.
“I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you, and it’s scary, but there’s no stopping it. I just have to hold on tight and enjoy the thrill because there’s no talking my heart out of it. It wants you, Sam. So even if you hurt me, at least I know I had you for a while. At least I know I gave it my all.”
“I’m not. I’m not going to hurt you.” I lean forward and kiss him again. “God, I...you’re one of the best people I know. I won’t hurt you. I love you. I love you so much.”
“I know. I believe you. I trust you.” He grips my neck with both hands, his thumbs gently caressing my jaw as he holds my gaze. “I promise to be careful with your heart, princess. I swear it. It would be an honor to be loved by you, and I promise that your heart is safe with me.You’resafe with me, okay?”
“Okay,” I whisper through my tears. I kiss him again, then press my forehead to his. “I love you. I’ll be careful with your heart, too.”
He chuckles. His lips move into a smile, and I smile, too. I know he means what he says, and I know he’ll keep his promises. I trusthim, and the realization is like an anvil lifts off my chest. It’s been so, so long since I’ve trusted anyone other than Lennon, but my heart is ready. I’m ready.
I’m ready to love him and to let him love me.
I pull back and swipe the lingering tears from under my eyes. I take a deep breath, and then give Chris a small but excited smile.
“Okay, so I have a gift for you.”
He narrows his eyes. “It’s not my birthday,” he teases.
I arch a brow. “Well, I’m broke now, so this might have to do for your next few birthdays.”
He barks out a laugh and shakes his head. It’s not totally true. I’m not broke, but my personal bank account looks a hell of a lot different than the one I shared with my father. Way, way, way less zeroes, but I’m okay with it. Better than okay with it.
“Stay there,” I say, then hop out of the driver’s seat and round the truck.
I open the passenger door and offer Chris my hand with a flourish. He takes it with a chuckle and climbs out of the truck onto the sidewalk.
