Page 94 of The Rules of Dating

She spoke into my skin. “We can arrange for a refill later.”

“I love the sound of that.” I reached over to pull a towel from the drawer, gently placing it under her as I showered her neck with kisses.

“I have an idea,” I said.

“What?”

“You go take a relaxing bath. I’ll finish making dinner. Then we’ll take it into my room and eat naked in bed. How does that sound?”

“That sounds like the perfect night.”

Rather than rush to the bathroom, Billie lingered, her arms still wrapped around my neck as she gazed into my eyes. I realized that there had been few moments in my life as special as this one: standing here half-naked in the kitchen with this beautiful woman I’d just made love to, who trusted me to come inside of her beautiful body.

This might have not been a classically romantic moment, but it felt like the right time to tell her. “I’m falling for you, Billie.”

My heart was in my mouth as she stared at me for several seconds. What if she doesn’t feel the same? Or what if she’s afraid to love me given everything that’s going on lately?

She finally said, “You’re not alone, Colby. I just didn’t want to be the first to express what I’ve been feeling. I think I’ve been hesitant because I’m afraid if I fall, you might not be there to catch me. Which is dumb, I know. I’ve let my past experiences interfere with what’s going on between us. I should’ve told you before you went to have breakfast with that witch because that was the day it really hit me how much my feelings had grown. I knew because the thought of you hurting made me physically ill. Anyway, I’m sorry to bring all that up right now. I know we’re supposed to be forgetting about it for one night.”

I pulled her into a kiss and whispered over her mouth, “I’ll be here to catch you always, Billie.”

“I believe you, Colby.”

I refrained from saying the other thing I wanted to: I wish it were you who needed me to marry you.

CHAPTER 20

Billie

Last night was raw in every sense of the word—the way we’d had sex, the way we’d expressed our feelings for each other. And now that I’d opened my eyes, I felt the rawness of our present reality creeping back in.

The morning was bittersweet. Colby filled me in on his meeting with the attorney and all of the new insecurities and regrets that had resulted from it. The attorney felt Maya’s case was stronger than we’d hoped. That upset me, but I had to remain strong for Colby. He still hadn’t made a decision on what to do yet.

Our talk about the Maya situation was the bad part of the morning. The good part was that we’d spent the entire time prior to that conversation having amazing sex.

Colby asked me to go to his parents’ with him to pick up Saylor. I planned to return to my apartment after that.

When we arrived at his parents’ house, his mom seemed to know exactly who I was.

“You must be Billie.”

I looked at Colby, then back at her. “I am.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

“She’s quite beautiful. You’re a lucky guy, Colby,” Mrs. Lennon said to her son.

He squeezed my side. “Don’t I know it.”

Saylor came running toward us. “Billie!”

I knelt down to receive her hug. “Hey! Did you have a good time?”

She nodded eagerly.

“Would you guys like to stay for a bit?” Colby’s mom asked. “I made some of that split-pea soup you like, Colby. Saylor already had some, so she probably won’t be hungry for a while.”