Page 116 of Mr. Charming

And that’s when I realize.

Of course he knew I loved him.

“You.” I blink at him, my breath catching. I push the journals into his chest. “You about killed me with these.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “That was the point.”

My jaw drops. “To kill me? Because if you killed me, then all those second chances you wrote about wouldn’t be happening.”

He leans against the doorframe, completely unfazed, as if my grand, dramatic sprint here to declare my love is just like any other day. “I wanted you to know what was going on in my head, how much you mean to me. That this isn’t something I take lightly. I love you, Tedi. And I understand why you wanted to go slow.”

I put my finger to his lips. “That’s just it. I don’t want to.”

His eyes soften even more. “You don’t want to go slow?”

My heart clenches, everything inside me unraveling at once. Then I shake my head. “I choose us.” My voice shakes, but I push through all the worry and fear because he never purposely tried to hurt us. He was just trying to survive. “And I swear, if you try to tell me that I was right and we need to take our time, I will?—”

“I wasn’t.” His lips twitch. This beautiful, frustrating man who always looks at me as if I’m his favorite puzzle to solve.

“Well… good.” I step farther into the room, and he follows.

He wraps his arms around my waist, nuzzling his head into the crook of my neck. Just like old times.

“You’re getting me wet,” I say.

“I like it when you’re wet.”

I place my hands on his arms. “I believe in us.”

“So no more fake boyfriends?”

I circle in his arms and jab him in the stomach. He feigns hurt, his chest shaking with laughter.

“I’m yours if you’ll have me.”

One beat of silence, then he just stares into my eyes.

“Oh my god, are you trying to play hard to get now?” I’m ready to jab him in the stomach again, but his fingers slide into my hair, pulling me toward him.

“Didn’t you know?” he murmurs, his breath warm against my lips. “You’ve always been mine.”

He kisses me. It’s not a careful, hesitant kiss. It’s years of longing and missed chances coming out to play. His lips crush mine, stealing my breath, while his hands grip my waist as if he’s terrified I might change my mind and try to run out of here.

I rise on my toes, my fingers tangling in his wet hair, the heat of his bare skin searing the skin through my blouse. Nothing else in the world exists except for him… me… us. He lifts me effortlessly, and I wrap my legs around his waist.

“You know I’m never letting you go now,” he murmurs against my lips, walking us backward.

“Me either,” I pant.

“There are no takebacks.”

“Then I sure hope you aren’t defective.” I playfully roll my eyes.

He chuckles, but the laughter fades into something deeper, something raw, as he lays me on the bed and hovers over me. His eyes are dark and hungry. “You really love me?”

I cup his face, my thumb brushing his cheek. “Would you like me to pinch you, so you know you’re not dreaming?”

“I’m not really into pinching, but I’ll take some sucking.”

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