Page 128 of Stolen Kiss

“No,” I answered stubbornly. I thought I might cry if I look at him now.

He caught up to me easily enough. It wasn’t like I’d thought I could outrun him. But I’d thought he would be relieved at my declaration. Now he was trying to stop me from taking it back?

He turned me around until I was facing him. “Jesus, baby. Don’t cry,” he muttered, cupping my cheeks and pulling me toward him. “I’m sorry. Okay? Don’t cry. I can’t stand to see you cry.”

“Really? Then stop making me cry,” I said, my voice clogging, the tears coming out quicker.

“You don’t mean that,” he said.

“Yes, I do.”

“No.”

“Why wouldn’t you want me to mean it? I thought you might even be relieved.”

“Relieved? Why would I be relieved?”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“Because I fucking love you!” he shouted.

That stopped my tears. “What?”

“Fuck, baby. I love you, okay? I love you so damn much.”’

He pulled me closer to him and peppered my face with kisses, telling me he loved me over and over, between every kiss.

I stood there, motionless. I knew he loved me. I figured that out last night. But it was such a shock to hear him say it to me.

I pulled away from him. “You love me? Then what the hell was that these past several days, huh?”

He wouldn’t meet my eyes, looking over at something past my shoulder. I placed my palms on his chest, shaking a little.

“Jensen.”

He let out a deep breath. “Fuck, baby. I wanted more time, okay? I just wanted a little bit more time with you until I have to tell you. But you—” He stopped talking, pulling away from me and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What? What do you have to tell me?”

His gaze met mine, and I didn’t like the devastation I found in them. He let out a deep breath before wordlessly leading me to the living room and setting me on the couch.

I watched him pace up and down the carpet, obviously trying to gather his thoughts. The longer he went without saying anything, the more nervous I became.

Finally, growing impatient, I said, “Just spit it out.”

He stopped, turning to me. “Do you remember that night you got into a car accident?”

“Vaguely.”

His lips twisted, though there wasn’t any humor in there. “Did you know that same night, my mom was admitted to the same hospital, after suffering from a heart attack at work?”

I nodded, my eyes shrouded in sympathy. “Yeah, Evelyn told me.”

“You already know the story about me coming to work for Jace after my grandpa’s death.”

“Yes, I know. But you came back to your company. Because you have Elodie.”

“No, Emilia. I didn’t come back to the company because I have Elodie. I made Elodie happen, so that I could come back.”

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