“You’re impossible.” Jesse shakes his head, but there’s no missing the smile that tugs at the corner of his lips. Not to mention the sexy-as-hell smolder he’s got going on as he brushes the hair off my forehead.
I lift an eyebrow at him. “You know you love it though.”
Fuck. Shit. That word again— Andwhydid it have to come out all hopeful and breathy sounding?
Fuck, sunshine. Please say something. Just fuckinganything, ‘cause I sure as hell can’t.
Too long. Gotta say something—
Except at just the exact moment when I open my mouth to try to fill the awkward-ass silence withanything—
“Idolove it, Tris.”
His voice is soft and low, all thick and raspy like he’d had to trywaytoo hard to get the words out. And of course his face has to go all sunsetty-pink all over again.
“I’ve got to go,” he leans in and cups my cheek for a moment, and I don’t even try and pretend like I don’t melt right into his soft, warm touch. “Make sure you eat, okay?”
A quick kiss, a long look that makes my stomach go all crazy with those damn butterflies that just won’t leave me the hell alone, and he’s gone.
48
Tristan
“Itolllldyou he loves you,” Reagan singsongs, grinning from ear to ear the moment Jesse’s out the door.
“Better get your ears checked before you eavesdrop next time.” I chuck a cleaning rag at her. “He said he lovesit.It,Reagan, notme.”
‘Cause apparently, Jesse loves that I’m impossible. That’snotthe same as him loving me.
Except it makes my heart skip all the same.
“And besides,as I’m sure you heard, he was just agreeing with me anyway. He’s just too fucking sweet.”
Reagan rolls her eyes again, hard enough that the girl’s gotta be giving herself one hell of a headache. “Your boyfriend’s right. You aresoimpossible, Tristan. Did you not hear how he sounded when he said he loves it?” She drops her voice low. “Idolove it, Tris.”
The god-awful impersonation of Jesse has me bursting out laughing, even as those crazy-ass butterflies I can’t seem to shake flap around my stomach like they’re trying to carry me away.
“And you’re no better,” she whacks me on the shoulder with the rag. “Staring at him like he’s hung the motherfuckingmoon.”
No, not the moon.
The sun, actually. All warm and bright and golden.
Just like he is.
Fuck.
It slams into me like a goddamn freight train, knocking me breathless and more fucked than I’d ever dreamed possible. I gave up my chance to run from this weeks ago, and now, there’s nothing between me and the totally fucking terrifying truth I’ve been trying to dodge.
I love Jesse. And not just a little. I fuckinglovehim, more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life. It’s the head-over-fucking-heels kind of love, and no matter what happens, I know there’s no going back.
I suck in a deep breath. Maybe there’s some shit I’m not ready to say aloud yet, but I’ve gotta get at least some of it out. “He took me to dinner at Alex’s house last night.”
Because she’s totally fantastic and just as crazy-ass random as me, Reagan doesn’t even blink at the change in topic. “Oooh, that was last night, wasn’t it? How’d it go?”
“Good. Totally awesome, really.”
“Oookay,” Reagan sets down the stack of fresh cups she’d been about to put out and reaches up to plant her hands on my shoulders. “So, if you and Jesse are having flipping amazing sex, and last night at his friends’ house wastotally awesome, why do you look likethatnow?” She lifts one hand off my shoulder to sweep it around in a circle in front of my face.
