He scoffs. “Yeah, we’ve established that I can get you off. Is that all this was to you?”
“Do you honestly think that?”
“What am I supposed to think? You just named two examples that involve sex.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” The couch dips as she sits down beside me. “You also took care of me when I was sick, helpedme with my mom, brought me to your grandmother’s garden. This has never been just about sex, and we both know it.”
My hands are shaky as I reach up to cup her cheeks. “What are you saying?”
She takes a long breath, her expanding lungs a contradiction to my constricted ones.
“I love you, Ashton,” she finally says. “I’minlove with you. The last time I told you that was out of anger. I was angry that you made me fall for you. Not just because you hurt me, but because I thought I would never find love, and I had made peace with that. You came around and turned my world upside down, Ash. I may have brought color into your life, but you wrecked mine in the best way possible.”
She reaches out and wipes the single tear running down my face with her thumb.
“You—you really love me?” My voice trembles as I try to get the words out.
“I do. And I want to be able to trust you again, and I don’t know how long that’s going to take, but I want to try.”
“Try?”
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The woman I’ve been obsessing over for the past year is telling me she loves me back, and all I can do is repeat her words back.
“Yes, but we have to be honest with each other. No more secrets.”
“No more secrets,” I promise, now allowing the tears to flow freely down my cheeks. “We’ll take it as slow as you want.”
Thank you,” she says. “But I need you to understand I don’t give third chances. I’m barely able to give a second one, so if you fuck it up this time, we’redonedone.”
“God, I love you.” Not able to resist another second, I lean in and press my lips to hers. She opens her mouth, deepening the kiss and sliding her tongue against mine.
When she grinds into me, I have to use every ounce ofrestraint in my body to pull back. “We should stop,” I say with a shaky breath.
“What, why?”
“Because we’re taking it slow, remember?”
“Those were your words, not mine…” She flips her hair over her shoulder and purses her lips. If I wasn’t already hard from that kiss, I definitely am now. I love it when she scowls at me. Still, I ignore it and soldier on.
“Okay, well I want to take you on a date first.”
“Oh.” She softens. “That’s sweet and all, but it’s been?—”
“Twelve days and eight hours since I’ve been inside you? Yeah, I know, but I’m still taking you on a date.”
Allie huffs, but I see the hint of a smile forming behind her frown. “Fine.”
“Good, then it’s settled. I’ll pick you up at six tomorrow.”
“Who says I’m available then?” Allie taunts. I just chuckle and stand up.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to get back to work before anyone realizes I’m gone.”
“What?” she gasps. “You’re covered in blood!”
“I’ll run home and change.” I bend over and drop a kiss on her forehead.
