I gripped his forearms as he stared at me, his voice firm and unyielding. This man was so closed off, so isolated, even being the head of his family. Those five pieces of his heart were everything to him, and he’d taken a stand, supported me and my beliefs over them, even when I’d thought he’d abandoned me. I hated that it’d come to that. I didn’t ever want to come between them. But I couldn’t deny the tiny part inside that grew brighter with his support.
I also couldn’t deny that a part of me still ached over what had happened that morning. What he’d asked me to do all those weeks ago. He’d wanted me agreeable, to follow his guidelines. Which I’d done. And then he’d just tossed me aside when things got tough. When a tiny bit of color bled into his black-and-white world. And I didn’t want to go through that ever again.
I’d rather go through life with no one than with someone who didn’t want the whole me.
“Don’t cry, pretty girl.” He bent down, kissing away the two tears trailing down my cheeks. “Why’re you crying?”
“You hurt me.”
He made a gruff sound in his throat, his eyes pained as he stared down at me. “I know I did. I’m—”
“Wait. Please. First, I need you to know I didn’t ask my parents to come here. I didn’t even know they were planning on it. I can’t control what they do—my mom’s whims are worse than mine, and my dad only encourages her. And I would’ve told you that if you’d given me ten seconds of your time this morning before flying off in anger and assuming the worst.”
He closed his eyes, rested his forehead against mine, and breathed in deeply. “I know. I fucked up. I was scared and worried about my family, and I didn’t stop to think. But I promise, I won’t ever do that to you again. I won’t ever doubt you.”
“You may not doubt me, but will you try to stifle me?”
“What? I don’t—”
“The entire basis of our relationship is you trying to shave off the parts of me that didn’t allow me to fit into your little box. I don’t want that. Iloveme, Brady. I love every part of me, even the ones that aren’t perfect. And I can’t be me only when it’s convenient for you. You either get all of me or none of me.”
“I want all of you,” he said without hesitation, his voice firm and unyielding.
I reached up and gripped his forearms, my gaze locked with his. “Even the parts that drive you crazy?”
“Allof you. Especially the parts that drive me crazy. They’re the reason I fell in love with you in the first place. I don’t want a watered-down version of you. And if I ever try it again, you can tell me to fuck off and find less. I want every bit of you, Luna. Every infuriating, troublemaking, impulsive, unpredictable, out-of-the-box part of you.”
My eyes filled until the tears finally spilled over, running down my cheeks as Brady attempted to catch them with his thumbs.
He groaned softly. “Well, I’ve never told a woman I loved her before, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t the desired outcome. I should’ve gotten Beck’s advice on a grand gesture.”
I breathed out a laugh, more tears flowing, and shook my head. “No, this is good. This is perfect. This isyou.”
“So, I’m not an ass anymore?”
“No, you’re still an ass. But don’t worry—I love every frustrating, rule-following, demanding, assy part of you.”
His lips twitched, and then a smile spread slowly across his mouth until he was beaming down at me, and sweet fancy Moses riding a bicycle, the sight nearly knocked me on my ass. Probably would’ve, too, if Brady hadn’t tugged my face to his and kissed me.
He held me close, tasting my lips and tongue, and every time our mouths separated for the briefest of moments, he whispered, “Love you,” and I melted into him a little more.
* * *
A few days later,before my parents headed back to Maryland, we had them over for dinner at Brady’s house. It was…an experience. Mom spent the entire time sending me not so subtle winks and thumbs up whenever Brady so much as glanced in my direction. She nearly fainted at the table when he pulled my chair out for me, placed a hand on my back, or refilled my wineglass.
Dad and Brady hit it off better than I thought they would, except when Dad got distracted with an email and slipped into work mode while I’d been talking to him. The scowl Brady had sent his way had been potent enough to peel paint. Dad had been oblivious, but I sure as hell hadn’t been.
He was always trying to protect me, always looking out for me, even in something as simple as that.
I’d been worried after he’d told me everything at the impromptu protest. Concerned he’d go back on his word or decide that he couldn’t handle all of me when it came down to it. But he’d proven every word he said to be true. And I didn’t hold back.
He didn’t blink when I smoke cleansed him after a particularly rough day dealing with multiple domestic dispute calls. He didn’t bat an eye when I promised Mabel and her cronies I would be happy to teach them how to pole dance, if only they found me a studio that had a stripper pole to use. And he’d agreed immediately when I said my parents wanted to have dinner and had only greeted my mother’s eccentricities with acceptance.
It was then, after she’d talked about his aura for fifteen minutes straight, that it really sank in. If he could accept my mother at her absolute brightest, not a lumen of her dimmed, then he’d do the same for me.
I glanced up from where I stood at the bathroom vanity, brushing my teeth, to see Brady in the mirror. He leaned one shoulder against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his bare chest and his eyes on me.
I raised my brows, bending over to spit out the toothpaste before giving my mouth a quick rinse. Standing back up, I turned around to face him. “Am I in trouble, Sheriff?”
