Page 61 of Heatwaves

I nod, pressing myself against his back and throwing an arm over him. “Tomorrow morning. We’re all going to go in case he needs us. Then next week, we have a group appointment.”

He snuggles back into my chest without pausing his movements, sighing. “Good. That’s good.”

I can’t bring myself to look away from Ty, my fingers finding his arm and resting there. I notice Carter is also touching him.

I’m so afraid of what Ty might do, and what that’ll in turn do to our pod.

Hopefully, Dr. Gregory will be able to help, because I don’t know what we’ll do if she can’t.

It’s surprising what a difference it makes telling Wyatt everything, and when I say everything, I meaneverything.

Every single thought that crosses my mind spills from my lips until I fall back onto the bed with a sigh of relief.

I feel so much lighter—my worries less now that I’ve shared the burden.

“I bet you weren’t expecting all of that,” I say with a laugh as I turn my head to look at Wyatt.

He shrugs. “Maybe not, but I’m always happy to listen—even when your thoughts make no sense. Now, do you want to talk through any of that?”

I shake my head. “No. I need to not think about them for a while. I don’t know what to do or feel about everything they’ve told me, but all of this? It helped open my eyes to something I should’ve realized a long timeago.”

I take a deep breath, afraid to let the words form.

I’ve spent so long pushing Wyatt away, and it’s never been fair to him. It’s time I start treating him better.

It’s time to show him just how much he means to me.

I sit up carefully, making sure there’s no pressure on my injured leg when I do so. Then I wait for him to sit up before taking his face in my hands. “I love you, Wyatt.”

His mouth drops open, but when he goes to speak, I press a finger to his lips.

“Let me finish.” I clear my throat, holding his gaze as I speak. “I haven’t treated you well, but you never left me. You’ve always been by my side, supporting me in every way. You’ve been the kind of best friend everyone always wishes for—even when I was a shitty friend in return. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is phenomenal, but it’s been more than that for a long time. I’ve just been denying it.

“I’ve been unfair to you. I’ve ignored your feelings you’ve shared on more than one occasion. I’ve shut you down at every turn, and yet, you’re still here. You helped to heal me at a point in my life where I thought I’d losteverything. I didn’t think I had anything to live for, but you showed me I did. You’re the one who reminded me of the beauty in the world. The person who always made sure I didn’t forget that life is more than the heartbreak I barely survived.

“You’ve been so patient with me. You’ve helped me up every time I’ve fallen down. You’ve been by my side for the good and the bad, and I’ve taken that for granted. I don’t know what I would do if you ever found someone else to love. I’d be devastated, and I can’t let what happened ten years ago hold me back from happiness. Especially not when it’s you I’m hurting. You deserve so much more than me, Wyatt, but if you’ll have me—“

“Yes,” he says, cutting me off. “Of course, I’ll have you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted or needed. I’ve loved you longer than you can even imagine, Lila. There’s nothing that could keep me from being with you, if that’s what you want.”

I lean forward, brushing my lips against his, before pulling back to stare into his eyes. “Nothing would make me happier than being with you, Wyatt. I love you.”

“Gods, I love you, too. Fuck, I wasn’t expecting this.” He swoops in, kissing me hard. His love for me radiates in his kiss, in his touch.

How could I ever have been willing to walk away from this? From him?

It doesn’t fix the pain in my chest or the hurt I still carry from Aidan, Carter, Oliver, and Ty abandoning me, but it can exist alongside it. I’m allowed to be hurt and still be happy.

I haven’t just been hurting Wyatt but myself.

No more.

Never again.

From now on, I choose him—always him. Whatever else might come, Wyatt will always be my choice. It’s what he deserves.

More than that, it’s what I want.

“Fuck, Lil, I need to be inside of you,” Wyatt pants as his magic rises in the air. “It’s too much. I can’t hold it in, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

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