Page 58 of Love, Untangled

“Are you sure, Pen? I’ll get older—”

She snorted. “So will I.”

“But you’ll still be young and beautiful. Too young and too beautiful for me.”

She lifted up on her tiptoes. “You’ll always be beautiful to me.”

She swiped her lips across his. The kiss was soft, more of a whisper. Carlo tilted his head and deepened it, rubbing his lips over the contour of hers, sinking into her flavor, into the warmth of her desire for him.

He pulled back before he lost himself in her. “Pen—”

“I love you. You must have realized that.”

He nodded. She made it clear in her looks, in her actions. She was so open, so loving. Having come from such a difficult background, made her even more of a beautiful soul. A perfect one—at least perfect for him. “I do. And I believe it.”

“So then believe in us. I don’t care what the age difference is between us.” She rested her cheek against his chest, and his heart pattered there for her. “We’re happiest together.”

“How easy it was to fall, to get wrapped up in you. The hard part was fighting the fall. Once I let myself go…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry I fought this between us, fought you. I didn’t understand then that you’ve fought all your life to be happy. You deserve the most joy.” He cupped Penelope’s cheeks, rubbing his thumbs along her soft skin. “I’ll do my best to make you happy. To keep you happy.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want that. I want us to be happiest with each other, Carlo. I don’t want you to do things for me because you think they’ll make me happy. I want you to be free, to be with me, to live with me. That’s where the happiness comes from.”

She placed her palm against his heart, no doubt feeling its frantic rhythm, but after a moment, Pen soothed him. He breathed deeper, calmer.

“You’re wise,” he murmured. “I’m not sure how you’ve managed to be so smart about things I’m still struggling to understand.”

She smiled as she rested her cheek against his pectoral muscle. His arms banded around her. He’d stay strong for her. He’d remain stalwart—for her. And he’d love her with every fiber of his being because she’d taught him that letting go was when he finally found not just the lack of fear but true happiness.

“You’re the best thing to ever happen to me, Carlo.”

“Ah, Sunshine. Same goes.”

She tilted her head back and met his gaze once he tipped his chin down to meet her eyes. “You have a past. You had a whole life with Cora. I don’t want to take from that.”

She continued to amaze him. She might be young but she was so…aware. Pen had taught him to rethink his ideas about people. He’d have to look deeper into each person he met, not let snap judgments cloud his vision. “I did, and I loved her. I’ll always love her. But Cora isn’t you.” He paused, playing with a piece of her hair. “I…like to think she led me to you. That she knew I needed you in my life.”

He felt Pen’s cheek shift against his chest. “I like that sentiment too.”

“And you need to know—I’m all in with us. I want everything.”

“Everything?” Pen asked. She shifted her body, no doubt to look at him again.

“Shh. Let me hold you. Everything. Whatever that means to you. But I am going to keep farming. I like it.” As he said the words, something inside him eased. He might even like farming more than fighting fires.

Penelope nodded.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Blazers.”

She nuzzled her nose into his chest. “I think I understand now. You’ll be careful, and you’ll come home.”

“Home.” His smile grew until his cheeks ached. “I like the idea of coming home to you, Sunshine.”

“I’m glad.” She snuggled in and squeezed her arms around his waist. “Do you think you can be happy with me, Carlo?”

“I already am.”

“Are you going to keep worrying about our age difference? Or just everything else?”

“Only as much as you do,” Carlo said, tacitly admitting she was correct without actually saying it. That caused a small grin to flit across her lips, which he answered. “I won’t worry about our commitment to each other. Our love and respect or our future together.” He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “It’s bright, Sunshine. Brighter than the sun, even. All because of you.”

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