“Uh-huh.”
He hadn’t expected her to agree with him. “What?”
“I’m listening.”
“So, ah, yeah.” He ran an unsteady hand through his hair and decided to lay it all on the line. “On Sunday, when you said you needed to go home, I kind of freaked out. I thought you were tired of me. You were nasty, and well…”
“Bitchy.”
“I wasn’t going to say that,” he said quickly, though he’d been thinking it.
“I was hurting and weepy and didn’t want you to see me like that again.”
“Um, I know that now.” He flushed. He’d never discussed a woman’s time of the month with her and didn’t want to start now. “I wish I’d known then. I’d have tried to help you out. Somehow.”
“Oh?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. A massage or something.” She wore a sly smile he didn’t trust, so he continued, “I got into my head you were done with me, and it crushed me. I had all these bad thoughts, about how I’m a loser and trash and no good.” He didn’t mean to tear up and tried to hide it, but ever since freaking out with the guys, his emotions had been less than steady. A catharsis long in coming, Evan had said. What the fuck did Evan know?
He blinked hard.
“So you think you’re trash, and that I want to date trash?”
“No. Not at all.” He hung his head in his hands and subtly wiped his eyes. “I just… I finally found you, someone I care about, who makes me feel so damn good. You’re smart and sexy as hell. You could have any guy you wanted. And you wanted me. And we were going to live together, to be together. But you wouldn’t move in with me, and it felt like you didn’t really want to commit. Then I was still worried about Tilly, because she means more to me than I thought she did. I love her.”
Erin smiled. “I love her too.” She put a hand on his knee, and he slowly, carefully, lifted her to sit on top of him.
It felt so good to hold her again. He didn’t know how long it might last, and he gave her every opportunity to move. But when she didn’t, he pulled her in close and pressed his head over her shoulder.
“I love you, Erin.”So much. It will kill me if you leave…
“What?”Erin pushed back so she could look into his eyes, stunned to see them filled with tears. So of course that made hers fill. “No. No, no, no. You don’t say it first.Isay it first.”
She wrenched herself out of his arms and started pacing, confused and angry with him for thinking so little of himself. “Okay, this is how it goes.”
“You love me?” Hope lightened his eyes, and the bright green seemed to glow with promise.
“Shut up. This is my moment. I’ve grown. I know what I had with Cody didn’t work because he—and I—made mistakes. We talked about it, and—”
“Wait. You talked to Cody?” The old Smith returned, anger pinching his cheeks.
“Yeah, face-to-face. And I had French macarons. Deal with it.”
“French what?”
She poked him in the chest, and he winced. “I am growing up. Taking responsibility for my actions. I fell in love with you right away, and I kept trying to convince myself it wasn’t real. Why?”
“You love me?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
But she wasn’t done. “But who the heck—no, hell—do I owe any explanations? I’m not a lady, I’m a woman. One who wants to have orgasms and live in sin in a one-bedroom apartment making meals for a bossy old woman I love like my grandma. And you. I fell in love with you, a gruff Marine who is so sweet though he tries to hide it. You’re strong and sexy and kind, and you hate that anyone figures you out. But I see you.”
“Are you sure?”
Suddenly something clicked. She knew why he seemed so unsure. “Yes, Smith Riley Ramsey. I’m sure. I know all your ugly spots, your tickle spots, and I love you. Even though I’m now learning you’re pretty neurotic, Istilllove you.”
His grin brightened the entire room.
“I had a big night all planned. A fancy dinner, an awesome dessert—not chocolate, by the way—and some hot sex after. But I don’t think you can handle that.”
