Page 124 of His Heart

She laughed. “Your dad has been waiting to get me into one of his cars, hasn’t he?”

“Of course.” My parents had really come around. Once they’d gotten to know Brooke, they’d fallen in love with her, just like I had. I had failed to mention the part about me driving her to the edge of a cliff and telling her I’d go over it with her. That wasn’t something they needed to know.

I hadn’t been lying to her that day. Taking her out to that quarry hadn’t been a ploy to scare her into changing. I’d been dead fucking serious. We were either going to live, or die, and we were going to do it together. Obviously, I was glad she’d chosen to live—and that she kept making that choice every day—but I would have gone out with her if that’s what it took. Did that make me crazy? Maybe. But it was all or nothing for me. I didn’t know any other way to be.

“What do you say?” I asked. “Should we go to Waverly this weekend? You can let my dad give you the star treatment. He’ll make you test drive at least ten different cars, just to warn you. But the upside is, we can have dinner with them afterward. I bet if I ask nicely, my mom will make chicken Parmesan.”

“I will test drive a hundred cars with your dad if I get to eat your mom’s chicken Parmesan.”

“Cool. I’ll let them know.”

“Yeah, but don’t text her,” Brooke said with a smile. “She might not read it until next week.”

“I know,” I said. “I’ll call.”

When we got home, I took her inside and gave her a long back rub. She deserved it. Plus, I’d take any excuse to get my hands on her bare skin. Afterward, we snuggled up in bed together and talked for a while. She had some things she needed to get out after her session earlier.

Eventually my slow and gentle kisses, meant for comfort, escalated. Our bodies wanted more. We wanted more. I made love to her in our bed, tangled up in our sheets. I savored every touch, every kiss, every bit of her skin. Loved her in every way I knew how. She was my life.

And soon—very soon—I was going to make sure the rest of our lives were lived together.

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