“Now that we really are together, there’s nothing to worry about.”
A line appeared between her brows as she tightened her eyes.
His hands stilled. “I mean wearetogether?” His heart thrashed when he couldn’t read her expression.
She looked away. “Mike, I’m very happy to know that you’re in love with me, too, and I’m gonna remember last night for the rest of my life, but…”
Dizzy, he could feel the blood running away from his face.
“God, look at you.” She glanced back at him, snickering. “I scared your cock flat.”
“What?”
“I was kidding. Of course, we’re together.”
He winced, burying his head in her arms. “Merda! Don’t ever do that again.”
She pulled away. “Don’t use that tone with me, Gennaro.”
“I’m serious. Don’t joke about us again.”
“Jesus. Okay. I’m sorry.”
His arms folded around her in a tight embrace. Then he put his hands on either side of her face and mashed his lips into hers.
She rolled and nestled into his lap. “Why are you so scared?”
He just stared at her.
She gave him a reassuring smile. “I will not change my mind. You’re the only thing I can’t change my mind about. Believe me, I’ve tried for years. It didn’t work.”
“Good. That’s one reason out of the way.”
“What else?” she pressed on.
Escaping her gaze, he sighed, his chest heavy with secrets. “The past.”
“We all have pasts, Mike.” Her hand lifted to her scar, a grimace on her face. “The question is, are we gonna let it dictate our present? Our future?”
“What if it does either way?”
“Then we’re gonna need to be strong enough to accept it as it is and still follow our dreams.”
His eyes lingered on her face for a while as he struggled with the two prominent voices in his head. One screaming at him to tell her everything, every secret, the other warning him to never utter a word.
“Maggie, I… I have to tell you something.”
She shook her head quickly. “I don’t wanna hear anything about your past.”
“Maggie…”
She hushed him with her finger. “If you open up about it, then I’ll have to tell you about the scar across my heart, and I don’t wanna do that. Not now, not ever.”
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“Same applies to you.”
He lowered his head in defeat. The past would ruin everything. Perhaps it was better to remain untold. He should keep his secret because, now that they were together, he owed her whatever sacrifice would keep her safe. Unhurt. Protected.
