Page 201 of Her Collateral Bride: A Lesbian Age Gap Romance

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“So you’re…you want this?” Haley had to be sure. She

needed to hear Claire say it so badly.

Claire looped her arms around Haley’s waist and rested her

head against her shoulder. It was the most intimate, submissive

gesture Haley had ever known her to make. It took her breath

away. She had to clear her throat, but Claire didn’t. Her words

were bold and clear. “I want this.”

Haley had the horrible urge to clarify things because she

still couldn’t believe she was hearing right. “You want us to be

together? To date? To stick this out?”

“Yes. I want you, Haley. I’ve missed you and I’m not letting

you go a second time. You came into my life kind of by a

forced accident and you changed everything. I didn’t think I

was ready, but I was. I am. If you’re here because you want to

start over, then—”

“I don’t want to start over. I want everything we’ve already

had.”

Claire’s smile was soft, and Haley sunk into it. Her arms

wrapped around Claire’s shoulders, holding her in a tight

embrace. It was the most powerful touch she’d ever

experienced. Her whole body was trembling, the emotion

overwhelming her, but she let it. She welcomed it. It was so

good just to feel.

“I want everything we had too,” Claire said. She stroked

Haley’s hair again. “And everything we’ll have.”

They both sniffed the air at the same time. “I believe

something might be on the verge of just perfect, but another

minute and it could burn.” Haley had a trained nose after years

of living with her dad. She might not know how to cook

because her dad did everything, but she was used to smells and

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