“I tried telling myself the reason I was upset when you left that night was because you were the first woman to walk out on me since moving out of my dad’s house. But if I’d been honest with myself, I would have admitted that what really got to me wasn’t that you left before I could. It’s that you were different. You didn’t know who I was, weren’t impressed with my career because you didn’t even want to know what it was, and you weren’t falling all over yourself to be whatever you thought I wanted.
“You have no fucking clue how refreshing that was. I grew up watching these women mold themselves into what they believed my dad wanted, and it usually worked. I doubt my dad has any idea who most of his wives actually were. He was content as long as they were skinny and pretty with great tits.”
I smile at her because her nose is scrunched and her lips are pursed. “Not that you don’t have great tits, because you totally do.”
“You’re an idiot,” she mutters, pushing against my chest. But not hard enough to push me away.
My smile drops. “I am. You’re right. Because when you showed up that day in the weight room, looking so fucking beautiful and bright-eyed, I convinced myself I’d been wrong about you. That you were exactly the kind of woman who had suckered my dad, and you were determined to do it to me.”
“I understand, now,” Blair whispers. She strokes her hand over my chest, and I let myself hope that when I’m done with my plea, she’ll believe me. That she’ll let go of this whole breakup plan and take a chance on me.
I cup her cheek. “I’m sorry. I was such an asshole to you. You never deserved that. But I was fucking terrified because I knew how easy it would be to feel things for you I’d promised myself I never would. Yeah, my ego was involved, and that’s part of why I was a prick, but that’s only part of it.
“And it turns out, I was right. It took no time at all to fall for you. To change my rules and my plans.”
I suck in a deep breath. This is it. The moment that will make or break me. There’s no going back after this, and I’m fucking quaking.
“And here I am, less than six months later, completely, stupidly, hopelessly in love with you.”
If I thought Blair was wide-eyed before my confession, it had nothing on her expression, now. The hand pressed to my chest grabs hold of my workout shirt and bunches the fabric in her fist, her other hand moving to do the same. She stares at me like she’s afraid I’m about to shoutGotcha!and run away, so she needs to hold on for dear life.
Cupping her face, I smile softly as her mouth opens and closes a few times, but the only sound that escapes her lips is the puff of unrealized words being exhaled.
“I fucking love you, Blair Sherman. So no. No, I’m not letting you break up with me. No, I won’t let some crazy, obsessed fan threaten you, your brother, or your job. No, I won’t give you the night to think about things when you don’t have all the information.”
Tears pool in Blair’s eyes before spilling over and down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumbs before leaning in and kissing each salty pathway they’ve made on her face.
“You love me?”
“I do.” I nod. “And it scares the shit out of me. But as I was driving away from you, I realized there was something that scared me even more.”
“What?” she whispers, her body leaning forward.
“The thought of living the rest of my life without you. Of never telling you how I feel. Losing you and Reed.” I exhale a shuddering breath. “Please don’t let me lose you.”
Another tear creates a glittering line down her face, but this one’s path is different because her lips curve, her cheekbones becoming more pronounced, and she smiles. It’s hesitant for only a moment before it overtakes her entire face, nearly blinding me.
“You won’t lose us. I love you too.”
I press my forehead to hers, searching her face for any signs of deception but finding none. “You do?”
“Yes.” She tilts her head, pressing up on her toes, and slants her lips over mine. I open for her, and our breaths mingle when she says, “How could I not? You’re very lovable, Logan Byrne.”
The brittle shell around my heart cracks down the middle, and for the first time since I was a devastated little boy of six, it expands to its full capacity and really, truly beats.
“Oh, babe,” Blair murmurs. Her hands go to my face, and then she’s the one wiping tears from my cheeks. Wrapping her arms around me, she squeezes me tight. “You’re okay. Let it out. I’m not going anywhere.”
I haven’t cried so hard since my mom left. But this time? They’re tears of joy.
forty-seven
LOGAN
We endup tangled on her couch as we hold each other. She’s sitting sideways across my lap with her arms wrapped around my neck, while mine circle her middle.
“I’m sorry,” I rasp, my skin tight with embarrassment.
“Sorry for what?” she asks, her long, elegant fingers brushing through my hair.
