A wild, reckless smile spread across her face. “I want to date Evan. I want to date you. I want to maybe date other people, too. And I want it to all be very open and honest, because there’s a lot of recovering from secrets that needs to happen in my heart.”
That was on him. He’d done that to her, and it tore him up inside.
She made a little sound, glaring at him. “Do not beat yourself up about this.”
That made him laugh. “I’m not. Much. Just…I’m sorry about the secrets.”
“Me too. But that’s in the past now, right?”
“Right.” He kissed her again, then laced their fingers together. “Come on.”
They turned their attention fully to escaping their knee-high prison, and once they did, Jess dragged him willingly into the gift shop, where she bought lavender satchels to hang in her closet and soap for her bathroom.
* * *
Back at her place,he followed her into the kitchen, where she pulled out sandwich fixings. They made a late lunch together, then she opened the box of chocolates for dessert.
“I’ll share with you,” she said sweetly.
He grinned. “That’s very kind.”
She settled on the couch, and he joined her.
“Raspberry truffle?” She held it out for him, and he took it—and he kept her hand, too.
Her eyebrows raised in an unspoken question.
He kissed her fingertips. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Yes?”
“Hear me out. I may not say this the right way. You being super open and honest with me about dating Evan, about wanting to date other people… Do you think you’re doing that in part to show me that it’s okay for me to be open and honest with you?”
Her mouth fell open. “Oh.”
“It’s okay.”
“It wasn’t really conscious.”
“I want to make something really clear. I’m not dating anyone. You’ve got a much more active social life than I do, and that’s okay. You deserve that. I’ve kissed Evan, and hugged you, and that’s all the action I’ve gotten in a long time.”
She wiggled her fingers in his hand and he released her. She grabbed a truffle and shoved it in her mouth.
“Did I just make this really heavy?”
“It was already heavy,” she mumbled around the chocolate. “I was just being selfish.”
“No.” He put his hand behind her head and drew her carefully to him so he could kiss her forehead. “I’m the one who left. I gave up all claims to you when I did that. You get to live your life however you want to, I can only hope to put my case forward that I think we should get back together.”
“That’s your goal?”
“Yeah.” Hadn’t he been clear enough about that? “I love you.”
“I know.” She made a rueful face. “It’s not as sexy as when Han Solo says it.”
“It’s pretty sexy.You’repretty sexy.”
“You want to be with me?” she asked quietly.
