“Lorelei.” Shit. My voice cracked and got all deep. My face heated, and my blip of confidence faded into nothing. She could want me as just a friend again, as nothing. She could’ve realized I wasn’t good enough for her. Hell, she could tell me to fuck off.
This was hard.
“Luca.” She smiled and bit into another bite of cheese. She nudged my side with her foot. “Are we finally havingthe talk?”
Narrowing my eyes, I stilled my hand on her foot. “Are you mocking me?”
“Yes.” She laughed and scooted closer to me. “It’s so easy.”
“This is serious.” I gulped, the back of my neck sweating at this point.
“So serious.” She scrunched her nose.
“Would you stop it?” My lips twitched.
Lorelei grinned so hard her smile covered her entire face, and joy radiated from her like physical waves. She pushed her hair behind her ears and sighed, shaking her head at me as her gaze softened. “I’ll behave and listen. Have your speech.”
“God.” I laughed. “You’re the worst.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway.”
“See, that’s the thing.” I cupped her jaw, running my thumb over her cheek. She leaned into my touch and placed her hand over mine. My chest tightened with a gooey, warm sense of peace. “I love you, Lorelei. I want your smiles, your laughter, your attitude, and your hanger attacks. I want to wipe away your tears when you cry out of joy, fear, or even if you’re sad. I—” My voice shook, and I blinked away emotion. “You want someone to put you first, and I’ll be that person. You deserve the world, and I can try to give you that. I’m done being afraid of all the what-ifs in my life and want to focus on the what-I-haves, and that’s you. So, can you forgive me?”
“Forgive you?” She sniffed.
Tears fell down her cheeks, and I wiped them away. She smiled, so could they be happy tears? I pulled her closer so she sat on my lap now. Her warmth spread through me and her scent—God, she smelled so damn good. I kissed her temple, pulling her in a hug. “For not being what you needed before. No secrets, no hiding. We do this thing for real. A relationship. I show you every day how much I love you, and you continue being the light in my world. Football is important, and so is my grandma, but you…I need you to be mine. To be my person.”
She glanced up at me, a watery smile on her lips as she said, “You want me to be your goddess?”
I snorted. “Yes, be my goddess. Love me back.”
“Okay.” She hummed, rested her head against my chest and hugged me hard. “I will.”
“That’s all you have to say?I will?” I cupped the back of her head, gently kneading her scalp with one hand and rubbing her lower back with the other. I’d never tire of holding her like this, our chests pressed together and her scent enveloping me. Yet, I expected more from her. More words.
“Four days.” She pinched my side. “You can wait to hear me say I love you back for four days, Monroe.”
“Is there any reason why you’re being sassy right now?”
“You and Dean talked outside my door Monday, and I heard you. You told him you loved me, and I had to wait four fucking days for you to tell me. So yes, Luca, there is a reason I’m being sassy.”
“Fuck, I missed you.” I cupped her face, staring down at her until I couldn’t take it anymore. I kissed her. She tasted like cheese and coffee, and she groaned into my mouth, sliding her tongue into the kiss and stealing all my rational thoughts. “Baby, I have more to say.”
“Mm, can you kiss and talk?” She pulled back, grinning at me with red cheeks and flushed skin.
“You’re fucking gorgeous.” My breath hitched in my throat. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You know that, right?”
“I do.” She cupped my chin, a glint of mischief entering her eyes. “You submitted my assignments, did multiple grocery runs, held my hand, and told my brother the truth. I canfeelhow much you care for me.”
“I sense a but coming…” I gripped her waist, letting my fingers tease the skin above her pants.
“But if you truly want to be my boyfriend, you’ll meet every need, yes?”
“Anything. Ask me anything and I’ll do it.”
She licked her lips, bent low until her teeth grazed the shell of my ear. “Anything?”
“Baby, yes.”
