Page 227 of One Bossy Disaster

Barely two months.

That’s how long we’ve known each other.

Does it matter?

Fuck no.

In that short time, she’s hooked her way under my skin and in my heart and there’s nothing I can do about it except man the fuck up and accept it.

You don’t keep playing games after staring the reaper dead in the face.

And I try, even as she’s swiping at her eyes.

“Sweetheart, don’t cry.”

She shakes her head. “Don’t. Don’t call me sweetheart unless...”

“Destiny—”

“I remember what you said, Shepherd. When the storm hit, I get it, that was the least of our worries. But now that it’s over... I can’t. I can’t be nothing to you.”

“I know. Fuck, you’ll never know how much I understand.”

“Then what am I?” She looks up at me, tears dousing the sparkle in her eyes. “Before all this happened, you told me you wanted me to leave Home Shepherd. You thought we should never see each other again. What changed?”

I hesitate, but I can’t hold back the growl boiling up my throat.

“Almost losing you.” I drop my forehead against hers. “Destiny, goddammit. I almost watched you slide out that door. It fucking murdered me.”

Now, I’m the asshole who’s trembling in her arms.

She steps back, searching my eyes, still in my embrace. Just far enough away so she can see my face.

So she can read the emotion there, the sincerity.

Can’t she see I’m offering her all of me?

Everything.

Because that’s all she’ll be to me.

It’s too late to go back now and carry on with denials. This lie that we could ever walk away, that what we have needs a time limit because we’re too wrong for each other.

I’m officially done trying to bullshit myself into believing it.

“I love you,” I say. Full stop. “Dess, I fell so damn hard, so fast. When I think about how quick it’s been, I still don’t understand it. I never will, and I’m okay with that. No one’s done what you did to me, woman. I’d rather drown forever than ever let you go.”

“Don’t say it unless you mean it.”

“I mean it, sweetheart. Just didn’t want to accept it before.”

“Shepherd.” She takes a shaking breath and a tear tracks down her face.

I brush it away, hating myself for being the reason behind it.

I never want her to cry again. Especially not because of me.

“This is real,” I tell her. “I can’t go another minute without telling you.”

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