“What?”
“I want to buy a house here.”
“When did you decide that?”
“About five minutes ago. Somewhere betweenNickandOh, God.”
“Is this another one of your impulsive decisions?”
“I think it’s time I started putting down some roots.”
“Oh…?”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know what to say…”
“Tell me that you’ll live with me. That you’ll fill the house with you: with your eyes and your light. With your sweetness, your sarcasm. I’ll buy you a huge wardrobe, where you can keep all your fucking T-shirts that I love so much. And I want a giant bed, where we can make love in every corner, ever position. And I want to give us both a home, because youaremy home. I want something that’sours, if you…well…if you think you can do it. If you think you can be with me.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
“You’re not going to play around anymore?”
He floats towards me again, his mouth speaking right into mine. “No, Casey. I’m done with games, now.”
“You won’t miss them?”
“You were my last match.”
I barely keep back my emotions.
“You were the match of my life, Casey. And I swear it was the only one I ever wanted to play. Because you’re the only thing I want.”
“Nick…”
“What about you? What do you want?”
I weave my hands into his hair and pull him back towards me.
“I just wantmyNick.”
He sighs into my lips. “I’m all yours. There’s not a single part of me that isn’t. I always have been. Always. Casey…you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved in my whole life, and I could never love anyone else.”
“Just…just me?”
He nods, nervously. “Just promise me one thing. Promise me that, one day, if you wake up next to me and you realise that you’re not happy, you’ll tell me. Even if you know it’ll break my heart. Because I can live with a broken heart, but I could never live knowing that I’d broken yours.”
“Nick…”
“Please, this is important. I want to make you happy, okay? But if I can’t be the one to do it, then I want you to be happy when you’re away from me.”
“That’ll never happen, Nick. Never.”
“Promise me anyway, and I’ll stop asking.”
“The only thing I can promise you is that I’ll never lie. For better or worse.”
