Page 50 of If You Like It, I Love It

“I said not the age thing!”

“The age thing matters! You’re going to want a family someday but—”

“Don’t fucking presume to know what I want when we’ve never even talked about that. I don’t want kids, okay?”

“You’ll change your mind, and I don’t want to be—”

“I’m the oldest of four. My dad died when I was fourteen, and I had to help raise my siblings after that. Maybe that awakens an instinct in some people that makes them want a family of their own, but it did the opposite for me. I had to start raising kids when I was still one myself. I love my siblings, but I’ve never wanted kids of my own. Never. So, what’s your next excuse?”

“I didn’t know you had to do that. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry that I had to help out with my brothers and sister. Shit happens, and people do what they have to do, but if you’re apologizing for your giant assumption, apology accepted.”

“Things change, Enzo. I was a completely different person at your age than I am now. It’s not an excuse. It’s a valid reason.”

“Of course you’re a different person. Life experiences change people. Neither of us can predict the future, but I am fucking miserable without you in my life right now. Tell me you’re happier without me around, that you don’t want me in your life.”

She tries to turn toward the window again, but I grip her shoulder mid-turn. “Don’t turn away from the question. Look at me when you answer it. Tell me you don’t feel what I feel.”

“You said it yourself; there’s a lot we don’t know each other.”

“Then let’s change that. Let’s keep getting to know each other. If we learn something along the way that’s a deal killer for one of us, we can go our separate ways. But why stop seeing each other now? Why deny ourselves a chance at something that might never go wrong? What if things just kept going right?”

“That’s not realistic. Things don’t always go right. We’ll piss each other off at some point, whether you want to believe—”

“Hell, I’m pissed off at you right now, beautiful. I’m mad, but I’m not walking away without a fight.”

“I don’t want to fight with you, Enzo.”

“Because you don’t care enough to bother? If that’s true, look me in the eye and make me believe it.”

“If we get attached—”

“I’m already attached. So are you. You’re just scared, and I don’t understand why. I’m not proposing. I’m just asking you to keep going to dinner with me, to keep sitting next to me on the couch, to keep letting me help when you need it, to keep enjoying those earth-shaking orgasms I provide . . .” I let that last request linger before I add another one.

She drops her gaze to the floor and laughs. “Why do you have to make it so goddamn hard to say no to you?”

“Make it easy on us both and say yes.”

“That’s not as easy as you make it sound.”

“It’s one fucking syllable. How hard can it be? Try it. If it feels wrong, I’ll let you take it back.”

She looks directly at me. “Yes.”

I wrap my arms around her and squeeze until her feet lift off the ground.

“You didn’t wait to be sure I wasn’t going to take it back.”

“You knew I didn’t mean that shit.” I set her feet back on the ground and look into her misty eyes. “I was always going to hold you to that yes.”

“Well, lucky for you, I don’t think I want to take it back.”

“You don’t have to tell me how lucky I am to be holding you right now. I know.” I lower my face to kiss her, but what I see in her pasture stops me in my tracks. “Um, did they give Oliver a medication that turned him brown?”

“Yeah. It’s a rare side effect, but totally worth it to save his life.”

I smile because nothing could prove her comfort level more than that quick-witted, smartass response. She’s definitely comfortable with her yes.