The silence in the car hangs over us, awkward and tense. I spy Ezra’s knuckles whitening on the steering wheel as he opens and shuts his mouth, unsure of what to say.
I don’t aid him and completely turn to look outside the window.
He can’t say those big words andexpect me to accept them or repeat them. What would I even say?
I don’t think I can say them back to him. I care about him, and I may be falling for him, but I still need time to understand, or maybe even develop the strong feelings of love.
After being burned too many times in the past, it’s not easy for me to give someone that much power over me. Give someone the key to my happiness. It’s too risky.
Spending all my life surrounded by greedy people, I put in a lot of effort in building high walls around my heart. But this man has decimated it, hit by a single hit.
We arrive at Roman’s house too soon, and I know the discussion on what he said is inevitable.
This time, I don’t wait for Ezra to open the door for me and get out of the car, slamming the door behind me.
Ezra doesn’t waste much time parking the car and follows me into the house.
The motion-sensing lights come to life. The moment we step inside, and I hear the click of the front door shutting, I lose it. “What thefuckwas that, Ezra?”
He slides his hands in his pocketsas if it’s the weather I’m asking about. “What?”
I take him in, clad in his fitted gray shirt and washed jeans that accentuate his thighs in a way that makes you want to both ride them and sleep with your head on them.
Despite the sexy aura he oozes, I laugh with a hollow chuckle. “Maybe you claiming that you love me!?” My hands spread wide, emphasizing the point.
“I meant what I said. I love you,” he accepts it so easily.
I don’t think I have the energy to fight him. The last month and today have taken such a toll on me. It’s depleted me to the bone.
It’s like he has something else entirely in mind, though, because he repeats, “I love you.”
I take a step back for every one of his. “I love you.”
I cover my ears, yet he doesn’t cease his confession.
“Stop it,” I mumble.
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“STOP IT!” I yell in the empty house, save forus. My hands drop to the side. “Stop it,” I plead, softer this time.
I walk over and slump on the couch, defeated.
A few seconds later, Ezra drops to his knees in front of me. Tilting my chin up, he licks away the tears I didn’t even realize escaped. My breath stutters at his sensual but gentle care.
“Don’t cry, Feather,” he whispers softly against my skin. “Seeing you cry breaks my heart.”
He moves over to my other cheek. “I know you’re upset about how I confessed. Trust me, I regret it, too.”
Even though I said I don’t love him, disappointment washes over me. Of course, he regrets it. Why wouldn’t he?
“Now, I know your pretty brain might be working overtime to make you believe that it’s professing my love for you, I regret. I don’t, Kaeli.” My brows furrow in confusion, my gaze bouncing over his rugged features.
