Say It Again
The first "I love you" changed everything.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Nothing exploded.
Nothing shattered.
Instead—their entire relationship softened into something even deeper.Which honestly felt terrifying considering how deeply they already belonged to each other.
—
Saturday morning arrived warm and quiet.Sunlight spilled across the penthouse in soft gold while the city stretched lazily awake beyond the windows.Lia stood barefoot in the kitchen making coffee while Adrian leaned against the counter watching her like she personally invented happiness.
Honestly?
It was becoming a problem.
"You're staring again."
A faint smile touched his mouth.
"You said you love me."
Heat rushed instantly into her cheeks.Because apparently Adrian planned to emotionally weaponize that confession forever now.Lia focused aggressively on the coffee machine.
"You already knew that."
"I knew you cared about me." His gaze stayed fixed completely on her. "That was different."
The rough softness in his voice wrapped tightly around her chest.Because Adrian sounded genuinely affected still.Like hearing those words from her physically altered something inside him.
Lia handed him a mug carefully.
"You're being dramatic."
"You said it first."
"That does not make you the victim here."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Warm.
Real.
God.
She loved hearing him laugh now.That realization nearly emotionally destroyed her before breakfast.Adrian accepted the coffee but didn't drink it immediately.
Instead—he stepped closer.
Of course.
Always closer.
His free hand settled automatically against her waist while he looked down at her with that same devastating expression from last night.
Soft.
Gone.
Completely emotionally compromised.
"You really love me."
The quiet wonder in his voice nearly ruined her permanently.Because somehow—even after everything—part of Adrian still sounded amazed by it.
Lia looked up at him carefully.
"You say that like it surprises you."
"It surprises me every time."
The honesty shattered straight through her chest.Because Adrian genuinely meant it.Loving her came naturally to him.Being loved back still felt unbelievable.
The realization hurt.
Lia reached up slowly, brushing her fingers gently through his dark hair.
Immediate reaction.
Always immediate.
Adrian's eyes closed briefly while a soft breath escaped him.
"You do that strategically."
"You're very easy to manipulate."
A faint smile appeared.
"Only for you."
Unfortunately—also true.
Sunlight spilled warmly across the kitchen while quiet settled softly around them.
Not awkward.
Just intimate.
The kind of silence that only existed between people deeply comfortable loving each other.Adrian opened his eyes slowly afterward.Still watching her too carefully.
Then quietly—
"Say it again."
Lia blinked softly.
"What?"
A faint flicker crossed his face.
"You heard me."
Heat spread instantly through her chest.Because Adrian sounded completely serious.Not teasing.Actually wanting to hear it again.The realization made her heart ache.
"You're needy."
"Yes."
No hesitation.
Never hesitation.
God.
This man truly had no shame when it came to her anymore.Lia tried hiding her smile behind her coffee mug.
Immediate mistake.
Adrian noticed instantly.
"There."
"What?"
"You smile differently now."
The observation caught her off guard.
Lia lowered the mug slowly.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian's thumb brushed lightly against her waist.
"You look happier loving me openly."
The sincerity in his voice physically hurt.Because Adrian sounded relieved by that.
Like her happiness still mattered more to him than his own.
Lia stared at him silently.And suddenly—she realized something terrifying.She had stopped being afraid of loving him this deeply.Somewhere between moving in and sleepless nights and quiet mornings together—fear turned into certainty.
The realization settled heavily inside her chest.
Adrian noticed immediately.
"You're thinking."
"You notice everything."
"I notice you."
The answer came soft.Automatic.Like there was no difference between those things to him anymore.Lia looked down briefly at the silver ring resting against her hand around the coffee mug.
Then back at him again.
"You know what's scary?"
His expression softened immediately.
"What?"
"That loving you feels easy now."
Silence filled the kitchen.Warm sunlight.Coffee growing cold in forgotten mugs.Adrian staring at her like she'd just handed him something fragile.
Then slowly—his composure cracked again.A sharp breath escaped him while his forehead dropped lightly against hers.
"You can't say things like that casually."
The roughness in his voice nearly ruined her emotionally.
Lia smiled faintly.
"You literally begged me to say I love you again."
"I did not beg."
"You absolutely begged."
A quiet laugh escaped him before his hand slid gently higher along her waist.Comforting himself again.Grounding himself through touch.
Then softly—
"I spent most of my life thinking love would feel unstable."
The confession settled heavily between them.Adrian's gaze drifted briefly toward the windows before returning to her.
"Temporary. Conditional. Fragile."
Then quieter—
"With you it just feels..." His thumb brushed slowly against her side. "Safe."
The honesty shattered straight through her chest.Because Adrian sounded overwhelmed by that realization.Like safety itself still felt unfamiliar.
Lia cupped his face gently between her hands.
"You deserve safe love too."
Silence.
Heavy.
Tender.
Adrian stared at her afterward like she'd said something impossible.
Then slowly—he leaned into her touch.
Instinctively.
Completely.
"You know what the problem is?" he murmured softly.
Lia swallowed carefully.
"What?"
His eyes stayed fixed entirely on hers.
"I think I'm going to spend the rest of my life needing to hear you say you love me."
The confession wrapped tightly around her heart.Lia smiled softly despite the ache in her chest.
Then quietly—because somehow it already felt true enough to last forever—
"I love you, Adrian."
He closed his eyes like the words healed something inside him every single time.