Chapter 47
Daniela
My heart skips, and my blood runs cold. I look at Dex in shock.
“What? That’s what you think?”
He cranes his neck to look at me from his hunched-over position. “You said yourself you never let anything last. You run before it gets too serious.”
“I wasn’t…this is different.”
That stirs something in him. He turns his body so that he’s facing me more fully. “Is it? Then how come you haven’t brought it up at all? You’re leaving tomorrow.”
“How come you haven’t?”
“Because I didn’t want to fucking hear the truth.” He shakes his head and looks down again .
“I know you’ve been hurt in the past—”
“Stop. I don’t give a shit about any of that. This is about me and you. That stuff? That would all feel like a fucking papercut compared to the damage you would do.”
I hate myself for having any part in making him feel this way. For making him believe he wasn’t enough. That I was always going to leave. Again.
“I love you.”
He goes still. Doesn’t look at me at first. And then he does.
“What?”
“I. Love. You.” I repeat, slower this time.
I look at this incredible man who has become everything to me. My peace, my comfort, the person I love to bicker with. With his stupid perfect hair, his ridiculous jawline, and those tattooed arms that I want constantly wrapped around me.
The look he’s giving me makes my heart ache.
“You see me,” I continue. “You believe in me. You make me feel safer than I’ve ever felt before.
And you get me like no one else does. You saw me even when I didn’t want you to.
When I tried so hard to hide. You think you’re not worthy of being loved, but it’s everyone else who’s not worthy of being loved by you . ”
He reaches over and pulls me into his lap effortlessly so I’m straddling him. I wrap my arms lazily around his neck and look into his eyes .
“There. Are you happy, you goofball?” I smile.
He smiles too, leaning into me. I meet him halfway, and our lips fit perfectly together. How could he ever think that I would give this up?
“I love you too, Dani,” he breathes, just an inch from my mouth. “My passionate, smart, loving nerd.”
“Good,” I tease.
“You bring a fiery energy into any room you walk into. You know that, right?”
“No.”
“You guard yourself well, but you’ve got the biggest heart, with so much love to give.”
“Well, I want to give it all to you.” I study his face, the curve of his lips, before placing a gentle kiss on them.
“Now what?”
“Now we enjoy our last night together.” I smile, placing a kiss on his nose. “And then I’ll see you next weekend. When you come visit me.”
We hadn’t talked about a plan at all, but it seems obvious that we’ll have to travel back and forth visiting each other on the weekends. For now.
“Gladly.”
He stands up with ease, carrying me to the bedroom.