Page 83 of Always Red (Chasing Red 2)

“Wait, what tricks?”

“Caleb.”

Now her voice hitched, and when she looked at me, her eyes were vulnerable. My heart squeezed painfully.

“I don’t care,” she said quietly. “I have nothing to offer you but myself. But that’s everything I have. That’s all I have. And it’s yours.”

My chest filled with so much love for her that I forgot to breathe. If I’d been standi

ng, my knees would have given out on me.

Oh, this girl. This girl owned me. Body and soul. I had never loved anyone like this.

“Red.”

She looked down at her lap.

How could one girl consume me like this? But I knew. I knew. She wasn’t just any girl. She was the one meant for me.

“It’s all I need,” I whispered.

I waited for her to look at me before continuing. A tear fell onto her lap, and I felt…destroyed. I was nothing—nothing without her.

“You’re all I need,” I said. “You’re all there is. Nothing else matters.”

I held her hand and placed it where my heart was beating against my chest. “Sometimes when I look at you, this feels like it’s going to burst. I feel so much. So much for you. I never wanted anyone the way I want you, need you. I want it more than breathing. I don’t want anything or anyone else. Just this, just you, right here. Give me this, give me yourself, and I’m the happiest man on earth.”

She wrapped her arms around me, and I felt her tears on my neck.

I wanted her laughter again, her smiles.

“I’m not very fond of those Louboutin shoes anyway,” I said. “Do you know how much those heels hurt? One girl stepped on me, and I swear my soul cried out in pain.”

Her shoulders shook, but this time, I knew it was with mirth.

“So…what kind of tricks were you talking about?” I asked.

When she realized what I was talking about, she laughed, pulled away, and lightly smacked my arm. I looked at her face, and the sadness was gone.

“I love you, Red.”

“I love you, Caleb.”

She took a deep breath and smiled at me so beautifully that my brain stopped functioning for a minute.

I blinked. “Sorry?”

“I said you’re going to be late for your flight. You better go.”

I slipped out of the car to open her door, but as usual, she beat me to it.

I held her hand as we walked to the door. She was just opening it when I stopped her.

“Can I come in?” I asked.

“Don’t you have to be there a couple hours before your flight?”

“I’ll make it. I won’t stay long. Maybe ten minutes.”

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