I stood, pulled her up, and wrapped my arms around her. “I’m sorry. So fucking sorry for hurting you. You have every reason not to believe my promises, but it’ll never happen again.”
“Nunca?” Kaia tucked her face into the crook of my neck, sliding her arms around my waist.
I kissed her forehead. “Never, peque.”
Then I pressed my lips to hers. At first, the kiss was slow and sweet, tasting of forgiveness. She brushed the tip of her tongue against mine, and I took over, kissing her deeply—the way I had last night, the way I wanted to kiss her for as long as she’d let me.
I’d wasted so much time. From this moment on, I wouldn’t waste another second.
***
An hour later, we finally sat down to dinner. After lighting the candles and opening a bottle of red wine, we shared the appetizers.
I savored every second of having Kaia at my table. It was perfect. Exactly how I’d imagined it a hundred times.
“I missed your cooking so much.” She moaned around a bite of la tortilla.
“Only my cooking?” I teased.
She paused, chewing. “No. Everything. But this is really good.”
“Thank you.”
For a moment I just watched her eat, my own plate untouched, my wine glass full. Part of me still didn’t believe she’d forgiven me.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Kaia asked, setting her fork down.
She always noticed my mood, always read what was going on in my head.
“Just thinking. About what happens now.”
She tilted her head. “With us?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you want to happen, Ash?”
Too many things—half of which would scare her off. Her clothes here. Her face beside me every morning.
“To be with you,” I said, choosing the smallest piece of what I wanted. “To date you like I couldn’t before.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I want that too.”
The weight crushing my ribs for the last two years lifted. “Then you’re officially my girlfriend.” The title felt small for someone who was my everything.
Kaia smiled into her wine. “I like that.”
I fucking loved it. No trophies or money would ever replace having her here. According to my therapist, I’d built hyper-independence after losing Dad and growing up distant from my mother. Kaia had been myanchor—the person whose unconditional love changed the way I saw relationships.
“Ash?”
“Sorry.” I reached for my fork.
“Hope whatever you were thinking about had something to do with me.”
“Everything has to do with you. More ham?”
Kaia shook her head. “I was wondering if you’ll go to my father’s Thanksgiving thing.”
