The words hit me like a physical force, and for a moment, I can't breathe. “Stella?—”
“I know you told Helena we weren't together,” she continues, the words tumbling out like she's afraid I'll stop her. “And I know you probably have good reasons, and maybe you were just being kind by not rejecting me outright, but sitting in that waiting room, thinking you might never wake up, made me realize that I'd rather risk everything than spend another day pretending I don't love you.”
“Stop,” I say, squeezing her hand to get her attention. “Just stop for a second.”
She looks at me with those blue eyes, which are bright with tears, and I feel something settle into place in my chest. Something that's been trying to find its way there for months.
“You think I told Helena we weren't together because I don't want to be with you?”
“I don't know, maybe?”
“Stella.” I bring our joined hands to my lips and press a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I told Helena we were just friends because we hadn't talked about what we are yet. I didn't want to tellanyone anything until you and I figured out what we wanted this to be.”
“What do you want it to be?” she whispers.
“Everything,” I say without hesitation. “I want everything with you. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to take you to family dinners and listen to you charm my sisters. I want to fight about what to watch on TV and make up by doing things that would scandalize your mother.”
She laughs through her tears, and the sound warms my chest.
“I want to support your career and have you support mine. I want to be the person you call when you have good news and the person who holds you when you have bad news.” I pause, my thumb tracing across her knuckles. “I want to love you, Stella. Openly, honestly, for as long as you'll let me.”
“You love me?” The question is barely a whisper.
“I'm completely gone for you,” I admit. “Have been since the first time you made me laugh during one of those terrible reality shows. Maybe even before that. You snuck up on me, sunshine. One day, we were friends, and the next, I couldn't imagine my life without you in it.”
She leans forward, bringing her face closer to mine, and I can see the exact moment she decides to believe me. “I love you, too. So much it scares me.”
“Good,” I say, using my good hand to cup her cheek. “Because anything worth having should be a little scary.”
When she kisses me, it's soft and sweet and tastes like tears and promises, and I pour everything I've been feeling into it: the fear when I realized I was falling, the relief of waking up to her face, and the overwhelming gratitude that she's here and she's mine.
“I'm sorry I doubted you,” she murmurs against my lips. “I should have just asked instead of assuming the worst.”
“I'm sorry I didn't tell you how I felt sooner. I kept thinking I had time, that I could figure out the perfect way to say it.” I brush my thumb across her cheek. “Turns out there's no perfect timing for this stuff.”
She smiles against my mouth. “Maybe the timing was exactly right. Sometimes, it takes almost losing something to realize how much it means to you.”
“Is that your way of saying you're glad I fell off a building?”
“Don't joke about that.” Her expression grows serious, and she pulls back just enough to look me in the eyes. “When I saw you fall…” She shakes her head. “I can't lose you, Brandon. Not when I just got you.”
“Hey.” I squeeze her hand. “I'm not going anywhere. I'm tougher than I look.”
“You better be because, now that we've figured this out, I have plans for you that require you to be in one piece.” Her smile returns, but there's still worry in her eyes. “Speaking of which, you need to focus on getting better. No more stunts until you're completely cleared.”
“What about the F1 project? Did Helena?—”
“Already handled,” Stella says with a smile. “I may have made a few calls while you were unconscious. Helena knows what happened, and she's holding the position for you. She said anyone tough enough to walk away from a fifteen-foot fall is exactly who she wants coordinating her stunts.”
“You called Helena?”
“I called everyone I could think of to make sure this accident didn't hurt your career. That's what partners do for each other.” She pauses, and color rises in her cheeks. “If that's what we are. Partners.”
“Partners,” I repeat, testing the word. It fits perfectly. “I like the sound of that.”
“Good, because I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me, Grimaldi.”
“Promise?”
