CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX DIEGO #3
“That comment you made about not being enough for me?” When she uttered those words, it broke my heart, and that was when I started crying.
She doesn’t see what I see. She doesn’t see how incredible she is, how she’s a ray of sunshine I love to bask in after a cloudy day.
She doesn’t see how beautiful she is, and that kills me.
She looks down, but my hold over her jaw forces her to keep her gaze locked to mine.
“Don’t you ever say that again, you hear me?
You’re more than enough, Alara. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.
I am in awe of how strong and resilient you are.
How caring, loving, and gentle your soul is.
Seriously, I don’t deserve you. But never, ever, ever again will you say you’re not enough. ”
Sniffling, she nods. Delicately, I thumb her tears away, and she leans into my touch. “You’re such a beautiful man,” she whispers. “Promise me we will talk it through the next time we get in a fight. No more walking away. No more mean, regrettable words.”
“I promise. I hated walking out while you were hurting. I’m never letting you go ever again.”
She smiles, the sight of it feeding my soul. “I know you won’t.”
She’s always seen the best in me even when the world thought the worst. She’s given me multiple chances at starting over when I didn’t deserve them. And, for that, I’m going to give her everything – every piece of my soul, every part of my heart.
Pulse pounding, fingers trembling as they hold her gorgeous face, I lower my forehead to hers, closing my eyes for a beat.
“Alara,” I begin in a murmur, finding her gaze again, “I am head over heels in love with you, and I am staying. I’m staying because you make me feel alive, you make me laugh, you make me feel loved.
Give me one more month of laughter and complete craziness, and when it’s time for me to go to Utah?
You’re coming with me. We’re packing my shit up over there and moving back here.
I’ll look for a smaller place in Utah for when I have to stay for long weeks of training, and I’ll visit you as often as I can then, but I want to make Blue Ridge my home base again. To be with you.”
“Diego . . .” A gorgeous, breathtaking smile lights up her face, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“One thousand percent. Just say yes.” My lips brush hers. “We’re real, Alara. We’re so real. It was never casual. It was never fake.”
Her hands find my shoulders and glide up the sides of my neck. If she feels the way my pulse is hammering beneath her palm, she doesn’t give any indication. Her wide, mesmerizing eyes bounce between mine, and I can see the undiluted adoration she has for me.
“Yes,” she whispers, and that one word alone makes me the happiest man alive. “I love you, Diego.”
And that’s all I need to know to crush my lips to hers. She gasps, and I swallow the sound like it belongs to me. The entire world blurs, and it’s just me and Alara, finding our way back to each other.
Our lips move in perfect synchronicity, a slow dance that’s the opposite of my heartbeat’s rhythm.
She’s soft and pliant against me, taking and giving.
The feelings in my stomach flutter, like birds batting their wings in a wild escape.
This connection between us, this chemistry, this love – it’s all undeniable.
It’s absolutely crazy how, in such a short amount of time, she’s become the missing piece I’d been looking for my whole life. How she’s become the owner of my stupid heart.
Fuck. I missed her. I missed her so much.
“I love you.” I breathe the words against her mouth, which makes her smile. I peck her lips again, again, and again, utterly addicted to her. Then, I wrap my arms around her shoulders, keeping her close for as long as I can.
“Your heart,” she says breathily. “It’s beating so fast.”
“Get used to it, because I don’t think it’ll ever go back to a normal pace when you’re around.”
She chuckles. “Are you flirting with me?”
I grin against her hair. She smells so good. “You’re only noticing now? At least tell me it’s working.”
“You can do better,” she teases.
“Mmh.” My hands travel beneath her jumper to rest on her waist. “I have a question for you.”
She retreats to look up. Fuck me, those eyes will be the death of me. “Yes?”
“Jordan mentioned that you don’t like casual relationships. Why did you say yes when I said I didn’t want any strings attached?”
An adorable shade of pink rises in her cheeks. “I wanted any piece of yourself you’d give me.”
The admission makes my breath catch. “Why?”
“Don’t make fun of me.” She’s even more embarrassed now, and that piques my curiosity.
“That’s a cruel thing to ask me,” I jest, with a kiss on her nose.
Alara pushes me away, amused, but rolls her eyes. “I had a really big crush on you when we were in high school. I just thought that taking what you could give me was better than nothing at all, but I just fell harder for you.”
I grin, pulling her toward the edge of the counter to wrap her in a fierce hug. My smile doesn’t fade away when I bury my face in the crook of her neck, and when I chuckle softly, she lightly hits my shoulder.
“You’re laughing, you asshole.”
“Nah, I just think it’s the cutest thing ever.” I kiss her neck, her jaw, her pouty lips. “I had no fucking clue, but trust me when I say this: if I had known, I would’ve dated the shit out of you back then too.”
“No, you would have not. I was quiet and awkward, and you were the star of the school.”
“So? At least you have me now, and I have you, and I plan on making you the happiest woman alive.”
Her lips brush mine. “Who knew you could be so corny? That’s cute.”
“Not cute,” I grumble, which elicits the most beautiful, hearty laugh from her.
My fingers tangle with her hair when I pull her mouth to mine, a kiss that expresses all our frustration and sadness from these past days, mixed with this new feeling of utter devotion we’re experiencing now.
It’s blissful, like a shot of ecstasy rushing through my bloodstream.
Knowing my love for her will only deepen and grow fiercely stronger makes me excited at the thought of our future.
I laugh quietly when she locks her legs around me. “Someone’s greedy.”
“Can you blame me? You’re looking so hot with your shirt and that towel draped on your shoulder and—” She stops short, her eyes widening. “Oh, shit.”
“What?” I look around, clueless and confused.
Amusement glints in her eyes, and when her laughter rings like a melody, I can’t help but think she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. “Diego, baby, it smells like burnt food.”