Page 130 of Academically Yours

“We did. And I wouldn’t trade us for the world.”

“Sometimes I think that everything in my life… every moment, every decision… they all led me here, to you,” Matthew said, pressing a kiss to my jaw.

“I like to believe it was fate, us meeting that night,” I said, quietly. “Like the universe just knew that we needed each other and gave us a little push in the right direction.”

“Is that right?” Matthew smiled as his eyes swept over my body.

I hummed in response and pulled him down on top of me so I could close my mouth over his. I nipped at his bottom lip before he let me in.

“I love you.” I smiled into the kiss.

“I love you too, Noelle Marie Hastings.” He held my face reverently. “More than I can put into words.”

“More than words?”

“More than words.”

I had never lacked for words—I was always talking, and then once I got my groove back, even the words had spilled out of me, flowing endlessly. But it felt like when I tried to describe the depths of my feelings for him, there were never enough of them. I thought I could write a whole book with all of the ones that were constantly running through my veins.

In some ways, I already had.

And then he kissed me again, holding me tight as he showed me how much he loved me, how much of his heart I had. And I gave it back—all of my love, all of my heart.

Hoping he knew he had all of it—all of me—forever.

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