Page 82 of Follow Me Down

I smooth the back of my black dress. It isn’t fancy. Just a plain spaghetti strap dress that hits me right above the knee. It was the best I could come up with on such short notice.

Now that I have a little money, I think a shopping trip is in order. Lord knows I need it, considering I’ve been rotating the same few outfits for the last month.

“So, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He snags my hand, tugging me in the opposite direction of the parking lot as soon as we step outside.

“Um, isn’t the truck that way?”

“Yes, but we’re not going that way.” He grins down at me.

I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know when he went from being this intimating, tattooed, seemingly bad boy, to this sweet, thoughtful, loving man. I don’t know how or when things shifted between us, but lately I feel like I’ve really started to see who Titus is at his core.

He puts off thisI don’t careattitude, like he’s flipping his middle finger off to the world. Yet deep down I don’t think that’s who he is at all. Maybe it was his way of shutting the rest of the world out. Maybe it was his way of forging his own path. But I’m a firm believer that we are who we are and eventually that person will come to the surface, no matter how hard we try to hide it.

And this... This is who he is.

A closet sweetheart.

Firm yet gentle.

Smiles often.

Not afraid to take what he wants.

Willing to fight for what he believes in.

Selfless.

A little stubborn.

Laughs at his own jokes.

Willing to do anything to make me smile.

Takes care of the people that are important to him.

I could go on and on.

We aren’t walking long before I see the flashing lights and hear the buzz of the County Fair that comes into view right as we round the corner.

It’s been years since I’ve been to a fair, yet as soon as the familiar smell of grease dipped French fries and cotton candy fills my senses, I feel like a kid again.

“You’re taking me to the fair?” I bounce excitedly next to Titus.

“What kind of date would it be if I didn’t win my girl a stuffed animal at the local fair?” He knocks his hip against mine.

My girl. He just calledmehis girl...

I try to push down the giddiness this makes me feel as Titus pays our admission and leads me through the gates. Children run past us, rides swirl around us, and the sounds of carnival games fill my ears. I look around, taking in all the lights and attractions, a huge smile etched on my face.

“I take it you approve?” I look up to find Titus watching me.

“Oh, I approve all right.” I bite my bottom lip excitedly.

“You’re adorable when you’re excited,” he tells me, catching my chin between his index finger and thumb as he steps in front of me. He looks down at me for a long moment. “I fucking love you, Fallon.”

Before I have time to process his words, his lips press to mine, silencing what I would say if I knew what to say. I’m at a loss, completely consumed by the moment.

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