I closed my eyes, savoring that confession. “That’s what I thought.”
I looked down at her stomach, my chest quaking with overwhelming emotion. Then my legs gave out and I was on my knees in front of her, cheek pressed against her stomach, tears running down my face.
“Does it hurt?” I asked.
“No.” Her fingers scraped lightly over my scalp. “Not anymore.”
I pressed a reverent kiss to the center of her scar. Then another. Then three more. It was part of her now, a map of her survival—and it only made me love her more. But the pain it must’ve caused her… “You never should’ve gone with him. You should’ve stayed with me.”
“I know.” She whimpered. “I’m so sorry. I regretted it every day.” Her fingers swirled through my hair. “I love you, Cash. I think I always have. Even before I knew what I was feeling. It’s why I picked on you so much. I just wanted your attention. Like…all the time. Icravedit.”
“Me too.” I stared up at her. “Like a drug.”
She was shivering. And her legs were shaking from exhaustion or nerves, I wasn’t sure.
I shot to my feet, scooped her up in my arms, and carried her to the bed. “Where are your sheets?” The mattress was bare. Her comforter was folded neatly at the bottom.
“In the wash.”
I laid her down and lowered myself on top of her. You know, for warmth.
Then I looked into her eyes, my fingertips trailing over her forehead. “I love you too.” I skimmed my nose up her right cheekbone, which made goosebumps spring up across her shoulders and chest.
“I know.” She sniffed. “But don’t do this just because you think you have to.”
“What?” My face twisted up at the thought.
“I just…I don’t want you to start something you can’t finish. We have this big awesome family and I don’t want us to fall apart and cause some kind of split down the middle. And…” She pushed me back, stopping my nose caresses. “I don’t know if I can give you babies. My skin might not be able to handle all the stretching.” Her expression was fearful, like this might be the scale-tipper. Silly woman.
“Then we won’t have kids.” I nuzzled her left cheek, in awe that she was finally letting me love her. “Can we fix it? Your scar?”
“I can get more skin grafts but it’s never going to look normal.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I’ve already had three. But Cash?” Her eyes welled. “I want kids. With you.”
I rested my forehead against hers, letting our breaths sync. “And I want kids with you. We’ll do whatever we can to make it happen. But if not, it won’t cause a problem between us. It won’t make me love you less.”
“But what if I can’t?”
“Then you can’t. We’ll adopt. Or we’ll be those weirdos who get a bunch of dogs and dress them in pajamas every night, tuck them into their doggie bunk beds, and talk to them like they’re our actual kids.”
She chortled, eyes shining.
“We’ll figure it out,” I said.
“Yeah.” She sniffed. “Sometimes I have stomach problems and food doesn’t digest right.”
“Shhh,” I whispered. “There’s nothing you can throw at me that will make me change my mind. Ever. I’m in this. For good. It’s you and me, the way it always should’ve been, starting right now. If that’s okay with you.”
She laughed—exuberant and relieved—exactly how I felt. It was the best sound I’d ever heard. “That’s okay with me. Way more than okay.” She rubbed my earlobe between her fingers. “You’re sure?”
“Charlie,” I said softly. “I’ve always been sure about you.”
Even lying under me, the air conditioning was making her shiver. But the control panel was downstairs.
“Hold on.” I reached for the comforter at the foot of the bed and heaved it up to our shoulders, making a warm air bubble around us. “That better?”
“Yeah.” She smoothed a finger over my eyebrow as if testing if I was real. “You know all those songs you posted on TikTok?”
“You mean, all the songs I posted for you?”
