Page 82 of Finally Us (Next Generation 5)

My fingers paused in their path. “Really? This whole time?”

He nodded slowly. “When I gave you this necklace, it was a silent promise to you. I wish I would have told you sooner how I felt but I didn’t. I guess I was scared too.”

“How come?” My thumb brushed over a faint scar beneath his bottom lip. I remembered when he got it. He had fallen off his bike and landed face first onto the ground. His teeth had punctured his lip. He thought it was cool. His mom, not so much.

“I was scared that my feelings for you would push you away.”

“What?” I met his gaze. “That could never happen.”

He shrugged. “They’re intense, baby. I’ve only ever been with you. It’s like because of that, it makes these feelings so much worse.”

I shook my head. “Wait…what? You’ve only ever been with me? What does that mean?”

“What do you think it means?” He pulled me into his arms, keeping a hold of the necklace around my throat.

“I think it means that you’ve only ever slept with one person. Is that right?” I leaned back. “Have you only ever slept with me?”

Vince kissed my forehead and then my nose. “Yes.”

***

(Vince)

Gigi gasped, her eyes widening. “Are you serious?”

“Of course.” I stared at her. “I wouldn’t lie about this shit.”

“Vince.” She shook her head. “But you went to school. You would have gone to parties, drank, met tons of girls.”

“I only wanted you, Queenie.” I tugged on the chain, pulling her closer.

She tried fighting me, no doubt having questions in that beautiful head of hers, but it didn’t mean that she had to be so damn far away from me to ask them.

“Ask me,” I demanded.

“You…I…really?” She chewed her bottom lip. “Just me?”

I chuckled. “Why are you so surprised?”

“Because you’re twenty-one. We had sex on your eighteenth birthday and then didn’t start sleeping together again until closer to your twenty-first birthday. But that’s almost three years of no sex in between that.”

“Exactly.” I tapped her nose.

“But…”

“What?” I tilted my head when she didn’t continue. “Say it. You can talk to me.”

“I know.” She huffed. “I’m just shocked.”

“How come?”

“Because…you’re a guy.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. That’s rude. I shouldn’t…God, you get me all flustered.”

My laugh deepened. I turned her around and pulled her back against me. “I know most guys would have sowed their oats and shit while in college but that wasn’t me. I did my schoolwork as quickly as I could so I could get back to you. Being with you is all I’ve ever wanted.”

She sat forward, looking at me over her shoulder. Her eyes searched my face. “What does that mean?”

“Whatever you want it to mean.” I cupped her face. “I’ve only ever been yours, Gigi. And I plan on only being yours forever. Or for as long as you can put up with my brooding ass anyway.”

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