Page 66 of Gone for You

At some point during my lazing around I fall asleep, dreaming of Ethan.

Walking toward me in jeans and a navy blue hoodie, I feel myself smile even in my sleep. All around us is emptiness. It’s only him and I, our focus on each other. “I love you, Liv. You’re under my skin and I have no desire to change that.”

Breathlessly I say, “You love me?”

“You know I do.”

“I love you, too.”

“I know.”

“Oh, you know, huh? So sure of yourself?”

“I mean, it was just a hunch, but yeah – I’m pretty sure.”

It feels so good to finally say the words to him. So wonderful to have them out in the open for his ears to hear. I’ve held them hostage for so long, when they’re finally voiced I feel giddy. A laugh bursts out of me and I can’t stop myself from saying it over and over again.

I kiss all over his face in between ‘I love yous,’ so very grateful for his patience with me until I was ready. For never losing faith in our relationship.

“I love you too, Liv. But I’m done waiting.”

And then, his smile widens and he slowly drops to a knee. My breath hitches and my hand covers my mouth. Something tickles my nose but I swat it away, not wanting to miss a single moment.Weird.

Tickle.

Swat.

Tickle.

Chuckle.

Wait. A chuckle?

Ethan.

He runs the tip of his finger down the slope of my nose and back up, whispering for me to wake up.

“I am.”

“Let me see your pretty eyes then.”

My eyes flutter open and I’m greeted with one of my favorite sights in the world. He’s hovering over me, his hands pressed into the mattress on both sides of me, his lower half off to the side. Deep brown stares down at me, the corners creasing. I lift a hand and run my finger over the smile lines that are only slightly visible when he’s smiling. He hasn’t really changed in the years since I’ve known him, time doing nothing but making him more handsome. He’s bound to be one of those sexy as sin older men who ages so gracefully he makes the rest of the population equally annoyed and turned on.

“Were you dreaming of me?”

I blink.

“What?”

“You heard me. Were you dreaming of me while you napped?”

“Why?”

“You were grinning in your sleep.”

“You’re so creepy. How long were you watching me? And just because I was smiling that automatically means that I was dreaming of you? Cocky much?”

He knows I’m teasing. And I know this because he smiles in answer.

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