“Which is totally your parents’ fault because there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You’re fucking perfect.”
She blushed, and he loved it when she did that.
“You’ve had them in your ear for your entire life telling you things that aren’t true. I know it’s not going to be easy to just let that all go, but you need to change the voices in your head and replace them with everyone else’s words. You know, the ones where we all tell you how awesome and amazing you are.”
“Oh, Axel…I don’t know if that’s even possible. I’ve had a lifetime of people telling me I wasn’t good enough, or pretty enough, or…”
He placed a finger over her lips. “They were all wrong. Each and every one of them, so…stop listening to the lies. You are more than good enough, and you’re not just pretty. You’re beautiful. And talented. And smart. And caring. And sexy. And…”
She smiled and gently pushed his finger away. “I don’t know. I may need to be around you every day to keep reminding me of these things.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. You’re going to go back to Harbortown with me and live with me and work with me and make a life with me.”
He swallowed hard because what he was about to say was beyond scary.
“And you’re going to love me because I love you,” he said gruffly. “So much that it both scares the hell out of me and makes me hopeful. I never thought anyone would want to be with me beyond…you know…a fling. But then you came along, and that all changed.”
“I want you, Axel, for so much more than a fling. I want forever because…I love you too.”
Reaching for her with one hand and tossing the pizza box on the floor with the other, they shimmied down on the bed so their heads would be on the pillows as they lay back. He kissed her tenderly, thoroughly, and Maisie held on to him like she never wanted to let go.
Slowly, he broke the kiss and stared down at her. “Say it again. Please.”
She didn’t ask what, because she knew. “I love you, Axel Hayes. I love everything about you, and I’m going to love you for the rest of my life.” Her eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. “Thank you for rescuing me that day in the storm and taking care of me.”
“I think we rescued each other that day.” Resting his forehead against hers, he chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“I think there’s someone else we need to thank?”
Her brows furrowed, and she looked adorably confused. “Who?”
“The turtle.”
“The turtle?”
He nodded. “If you hadn’t stopped to rescue the turtle, you would have been on time for the interview, but with the impending storm, we probably would have rushed through it, and you would have left.”
“I still would have been attracted to you,” she admitted.
“Same. But we wouldn’t have spent that time together if you had left right away.”
“Hmm…I guess that’s true.” Pausing, she studied him. “So what are you saying? We need to find the turtle? Because I’m not sure I’d recognize him again.”
He knew she was teasing, but so was he, and they both laughed.
“I love you, Maisie.”
“I love you too, Axel.”
And then they were done talking. He leaned in and kissed her again. Slowly. Seductively. And after that, it was all soft sighs and sexy moans, and he felt like he finally understood where the term making love came from. Everything felt heightened, every touch, every caress, every kiss…this wasn’t just sex. It was more.
It was everything.
So maybe there was a better version of them waiting to come out.
They didn’t visit any of the big tourist attractions.
