Page 133 of Somewhere You Belong

“This will forever be one of my favorite days, Dallas.” I trail my finger along the silver frame.

“Mine too, baby. And I swear, I’ll never leave you like that again.”

I stare back at him. “Please don’t. I don’t think my heart could take it a second time.”

“I promise.”

“I’ve never felt like I belonged somewhere before. Do you get that?” He nods. “But that day, I did.”

Dallas sets the frame on the counter and holds my face in his hands again. “Carrington Coveisyour home now, Willow, and you belong here with me.”

Chapter twenty-two

Willow

“I just need you to be patient with me.” My fingers run across Dallas’s chest as we lie in bed, staring out the sliding glass door as the sun rises over the ocean. Last night we spent hours reconnecting, declaring our love for one another with our bodies, and now a new day begins in this new life that I’ve chosen for myself—my choice. No one else’s. “I’ve never done the relationship thing, and I know I’m going to mess it up.”

“We’re in the same boat, Goose. Don’t worry.” He presses his lips to my temple, cradling me in his arms. “We’ll figure out what works for us. First promise though…no running away from talking about tough shit again.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Dallas stares down at me, his head propped up on his pillow. “I do too. This is it for me, Willow. No one else will ever come between us, okay? I won’t let anything dull that fiery spirit of yours, and I promiseto love you for who you are because that’s who I fell in love with, scars and all.”

I trace the scar on his ribs. “Mine run deep, Dallas. I don’t know if they will ever heal.”

“They will, but not in the way you think.” He stares down at where my fingers touch his skin. “They dull, become less noticeable, but still hold a story. It’s just easier to accept them as time goes on, like they’re an extension of you. Scars are fascinating, Willow. And I love yours. They brought you to me.”

“I love you.” Our lips meet and the contentment that rushes through me tells me that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. This man knows me better than almost anyone else, and he brought mehome. I fight off a yawn as I say, “But there’s still a lot of things to figure out.”

“Such as?”

“Well, what are we going to tell your brothers and sister?”

He closes his eyes. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. After I spoke to my mom, my only thought was getting you back. I know we need to talk to them. They deserve to know about Dad and how he’s connected to you, but it was honestly the last thing on my mind the past few days.”

“I don’t want them to hate me for lying to you and them,” I whisper.

“They won’t. They all had very different relationships with him. And I know Mom will help explain things as well.”

“And your mom…is she okay with…” I gesture between us. “This?”

He narrows his eyes at me. “I think you already know the answer to that question, Willow.”

Huffing out a laugh, I reply, “I mean, she knows how I feel about you, why it was so hard for me to keep this to myself. But after the two of you talked, I wasn’t sure…”

Dallas presses a finger to my lips. “I told her you’re the one, and I made myself pretty clear on that.”

I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Oh.”

I heard Dallas say that this was it for him, but that reassurance, hearing him call methe one—it just makes it all so much more real, even after last night.

Part of me was afraid I would wake up this morning and it would have all been a dream, that this adventure of mine was all a figment of my imagination.

But it’s very real.

And my mind and heart are finally accepting it.

“Oh? I thought I made myself clear…” He pulls me against his chest. “It’s you and me, Goose. I’m all in.” He drags his nose along my neck before our lips meet softly. “You own me. I’m stuck in your orbit and have no desire to leave. Whatever galaxy you exist in is the one I belong in, too.”

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