My heart drops to my stomach. His tone sounds serious—not in a good way—and it causes me to feel sick. This is where he lets me down. This is where he breaks my heart and tells me he can’t do this anymore and I am not prepared to deal with it. I don’t know what I’ll do.
But I don’t respond. Instead, I wait for him to break the news to me as I keep my eyes focused on my surrounding area. I watch as people walk around, not paying any attention to me at all as I’m nearly on the brink of a panic attack of some sort, waiting for the weight of Kyran’s words to crush me.
“It has been killing me keeping this from you, Wes. But I have to tell you…”
I feel the tears coming, I know this is going to hurt. The noise fades out around me as I hone in on the way my heart is pounding in my chest, knowing it’s about to shatter.
“The truth is, I’m not sure how I ever thought New York was the most beautiful view I’ve ever been privileged to, when the love of my life is standing right in front of me.”
My heart drops again, but this time assisted by some kind of adrenaline and butterflies. I turn my head from side to side in desperation, searching the space around me as the tears finally fall down my cheek.
"Turn around, Weslyn." I drop the phone from my ear, and when I turn around, eager to figure out what his words mean, the world stops spinning.
Kyran. Standing ten feet in front of me, right before my eyes. A handsome smirk curls on his face as he watches me.
“You’re here,” I say, something fragile caresses my tone. Because I thought he was leaving me. I thought he was attempting to break my heart. But he’s here.
“I’m right here, Weslyn.” His smile is lethal and my racing heart threatens to burst out of my chest. Every emotion tangles with how it feels to see him in person again. My head spins with the realization that he's really here.
I run toward him, jumping into his open arms. Kyran catches me and lifts me up, squeezing me to his chest. I let my tears fall freely against his neck as he presses a kiss into my hair. Utter disbelief and happiness twist in my heart as I hold on for dear life to the man I ache for.
“God, I missed you, love. This was the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep.” His voice is soothing and passionate as he holds me. I lean back, needing to press my lips to his.
The kiss is electric and terrifyingly intimate considering we are still in public. But nothing else matters except this moment right now. Needing to feel his skin against mine. Feeling connected to the person who’s made my world tilt upside down.
After a few moments, Kyran sets me down and I can see so much love in his eyes, but then I realize the scare he’d put me through today and I don’t fail to let him know just how worried I was.
“You jerk!” I swat at his chest in a playful assault. “You scared me!”
Kyran chuckles at me as he yanks me by my wrist and pulls me into him again. “I’m sorry, beautiful. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” He rubs a hand up and down my back and I lean into his embrace, desperate to be close to him.
This is what I needed. There’s no doubt that I cherish the time we get to talk on the phone and I appreciate the hell out all of our text messages. He’s done nothing but make me feel insanely special, even at a distance. But nothing compares to this moment and his physical touch. To be in his arms while I feel the beat of his heart in his chest.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I pull away slightly, not letting him go but wanting to look into his eyes.
“I told you, I have a very good reason to come to Rhode Island, and it was killing me being so far away from you.” His touch doesn’t falter as he holds me, keeping me close as if he can tell it’s what I need.
“How long are you here for?” I ask him, leaning into his palm as he wraps it around my cheek.
“Well, considering I just came back from signing the lease on my new condo, I’d say I’m going to be here a while.”
My heart races again. My eyes widen.
“Youwhat?” Shock laces my tone as my expression contorts to surprise and excitement.
Kyran lifts my chin with his fingers, leaning in and planting a fleeting kiss against my lips before he lowers his voice.
“Weslyn, I’ve never felt so serious about someone or so sure about a decision in my life. It’s you. My wrong number. My not Jane Doe. My Matt Donovan advocate. And my-”
“The love of your life.” I finish his statement, recalling the words he spoke to me on the phone mere moments ago.
“Theundeniablelove of my life,” he says with confidence and clarity.
Words can’t even describe this feeling anymore. I’m so overcome with emotion. I lean up on my toes, pressing my lips softly to his. He reaches behind me and clasps his hands around my back, holding me in.
“I love you, Kyran,” I whisper into his mouth and I feel a smile curl on his lips.
“I love you too, Weslyn,” he says and my body ignites.
