My body freezes, not knowing how to react. I have never wanted to break down into tears and jump around with happiness in the same exact moment before, but that’s what’s happening in my brain.
“Beautiful, if you don’t get over here and hug me, I’m going to spontaneously combust,” Wyatt says, bouncing up and down on his heels.
I laugh, stepping closer to him and wrapping my arms around him. He pulls me in close to his chest. His hands move to either side of my face, making sure my eyes are locked on him.
“I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I would have told you in that damn storage room if you had let me.” He must see the look on my face because he adds, “It took us a few days to plan all of this, but I didn’t need time to figure out how I felt about you.
“I can be rash about things, but the way I feel about you is far from that. I’ve felt this way for a while. I didn’t need any time to figure that out.Youwere never a question for me.Youare my certainty, beautiful.”
Fuck.Tears are falling from my eyes and onto his hands. He uses his thumbs to swipe them away. “I love you, too,” I get out through broken sobs.
His lips descend on mine. This kiss is salty with my tears. We hold onto one another like we never want to let go. And now, I guess, we don’t ever need to.
The breeze picks up, the chilly air making my exposed skin pebble with goosebumps. It’s probably below forty degrees outhere, and I’m only in my scrubs. I didn’t even bother to put on a long-sleeved shirt under it this morning in my fog of worry.
Kane grumbles something behind me that I can’t make out. He holds up his coat. Wyatt gives me one last kiss before letting me go.
I slide my arms into it, feeling instantly better. It has more to do with Kane’s scent surrounding me than the protection from the cold.
“What am I going to do with you?” Kane asks, rubbing his hands up and down my arms that are encased in his coat.
“Love me,” I say with a shrug.
“Well, that’s easy,” he says with a smile. “I’ve been doing that for a while.”
His smile fades as his eyes look so deeply into mine, and I just know he’s peering into my soul.
“I love you, sweetheart. I started falling that very first night, and I haven’t stopped since. Three years apart wasn’t enough to stop it because you’re it for me.”
I launch myself at him, throwing my arms around his neck. He catches me easily, holding me to him as our lips crash against one another.
“I love you,” I gasp between kisses.
The kisses slow as he lowers me onto my feet. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask. “With Oliver?”
He nods, caressing my cheek with his callused thumb. “More than okay. I want us to be a family, and he wants that, too.”
“You talked to him?”
“Yeah.”
“And he’s okay with it?” I ask.
He nods again. “You and Maverick are part of what makes him happy.”
I swallow past the emotion sitting heavy in my throat. “You know I care about him, right?”
Tears shine in his own eyes. “I know, and I love you for that.” His lips press to mine in the softest of kisses. “I care about Maverick, too,” he adds.
“I know,” I say. A few more tears slowly roll down my cheeks. We stand there staring into each other’s eyes, a feeling of peace washing over my senses.
He kisses my temple, then turns me to face Linc. My grumpy, quiet nerd is still leaning against the wall, looking so unbothered.
He might put on a front like none of this is affecting him, but I know better. Linc feels things deeply, even if he doesn’t show it. If you know him well enough, you can see the signs.
The tightness in his muscles. The intensity in his stare. The rapid rate of his breathing.
He uncrosses his legs, giving me room to step between them. “Hey,” I say quietly.
