“That was her on the phone?”
“You didn’t try to listen?”
“Of course not.” I could hear the frown in his voice. “I turned on some music on low inside so I couldn’t. Though I figured it might be her when you said I love you. That’s reserved for just a few.”
Reserved for you too.
She’d thought I was on my way to falling. But the trip was so much shorter when I loved him already.
Had loved him for so long.
This was just a different side to us. Something new and big and overwhelming. All the feelings I’d had for him before were shifting and changing and growing. It was almost like I didn’t have enough room inside for them all.
Riding shotgun with them was fear. Losing him would be like losing everything.
“Throughout these last couple of years, you’ve been always by my side.” I stared out into the dizzying array of lights and lifted my voice above the rising wind. “Am I being greedy?”
He didn’t laugh at me, just nuzzled my jaw. “Stealing happiness wherever you can isn’t being greedy. You deserve as much as anyone else. Hell, I do too.”
Gently, he turned me toward him, his dark eyes dancing with the myriad lights of the city below us. “I’m not going anywhere. No matter what. I’ve been waiting for you.”
My heart literally quivered. I’d never felt that sensation before. “Someone like me?”
His lips twitched. “No, you yourself. From practically the first, it was always you for me.”
I rested my hand over his chest, registering the quick unsteady beat of his heart. Just like mine. “Ricki said you look at me like a bowl of whipped cream.”
“She’s not wrong.”
Heat flared in my eyes, a dangerous precursor. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t brave enough.”
I laid my head over my hand on his warm flesh. “You’re the strongest, bravest man I know.”
He released an uneven breath and cupped the base of my head in his hand before pressing a kiss to my hair.
So many unsaid things passed between us in that moment.
Trust. Affection. Even love.
I just didn’t know if it would be the kind that could sustain us, or if we would burn out in a scorching rush. Despite what he said, he couldn’t know either. We just needed to have faith and go forward.
Together.
Part of that was being honest, even when I wished I could pretend none of this was even happening. I wanted to dive into Cooper and not come up for air.
“Ricki is meeting me tomorrow. Mal’s coming too. We’re meeting at Angel P’s. I know you and Cole will be there, as will their bodyguard.” He didn’t speak as I reached up to smooth out the furrows in his brow. “I know it’s killing you to let this happen. To not call Lila and demand she find some tower she can hide me away in.”
“Forget Lila. I’d build you the tower myself with my bare hands, and then wait beneath it for you to let down your hair so I could climb up with you.”
I managed to smile. “Rapunzel was blond.”
He fingered my curls. “Red is the prettiest.”
“Charmer. Where did you get fairy tale knowledge?”
“Little sister who begged me to read them to her until she was like ten.”
“Lucky sister. I always wanted siblings.” I laid my head on his chest again, my favorite place in the world. “When faux Priscilla called, I was dreaming I was walking with a little girl. She had ringlets just like me. My blue eyes.”
“Our daughter would be beautiful.”
I didn’t breathe. Didn’t move.
I’d probably misheard him.
There was being all in, and then there was forever. Marriage and family and little girls in lacy dresses.
“You okay?” He rubbed my back.
“Yes.”
“You sure? That was more a squeak than an actual answer.”
“I’m just hearing things. Probably took in water during my shower.”
He nudged me back from him, his expression entirely too serious. “I said our daughter.”
“So, not water in my ear then. Good to know. If I fall over, just try to grab me before I take a header off the roof, okay?”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Did you miss the part it’s always been you for me? I want the whole thing. A family. Kids. I’m hoping you want those things too, but they’re not deal breakers. If you want to live in sin, I can handle that too.” He tucked his fingers under my chin and tilted my face up to his. “The only non-negotiable part is you.”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat. “The little girl… I think she was me. We were walking toward a rainbow. A sign the pot of gold still exists after the storm, if you keep looking.”
“Oh. Well, hmm, about those Yankees then.”
I grinned and pressed a kiss to his Adam’s apple. “I do want all those things. I always have. Ricki was talking about getting pregnant tonight, and I was jealous. My life isn’t in any place for that. But someday, maybe it will be.” I angled my head. “Someone didn’t tell you that you’re not supposed to say stuff like that to chicks because they’ll want too much.”
“I’m not saying it to a chick. I said it to my best friend. And go ahead and want more. I did.” He slid his hand down beyond the hem of his T-shirt to my panties. “I do.”
I really should not be encouraging this behavior. We had so much to talk about. I needed to know what he found out on his search for Priscilla. I wanted to get his guarantee he wouldn’t fuck up the meeting tomorrow with some caveman-type shenanigans.
And yet, his long fingers were sliding down, making such interesting patterns on my skin. Sliding under to where I was already getting damp and hot for him.
“Oh, yeah? Do tell.”
“Spread your legs.”
“We’re outside.” Which did not stop me from obeying his command.
Intentionally, I didn’t
