Page 194 of Defend Me

Finally, he smiled. “Okay, I will later. Only if you info dump on me too.”

“About what?”

“Anything and everything. Your diabolical plans to make the government collapse.”

“It’s detailed. I’ve been working on it since I was a toddler.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

Leaning forward, he kissed me while he cupped my jaw. I was still in shock about what he’d said, but as long as he was happy, so was I. He paused, just keeping his lips lightly pressed to mine.

“Do you love me?”

I pulled back abruptly to look into his eyes. It was clear that he wanted to hide, but he just clenched his jaw. After a second, I laughed a little.

“Do I love you?” I repeated.

“Yeah, you’ve never said it and I just… wondered why.”

“Neither have you.”

“I don’t know when it’s supposed to happen. Sen and Kai went turbo mode. I don’t know when Linc and West did it. I thought maybe six months was normal and now, it’s been six months…”

“It happens whenever it happens.”

“So, it hasn’t yet?” he wondered, dropping his gaze.

“Look at me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Please?”

With a huff, he met my eyes. “It’s fine if you don’t.”

Putting my fingers overs his lips, I shook my head. “Brooks, I’ve been in love with you for longer than I’ll ever admit.”

“Really?”

God, the insecurity was written all over his face. Brooks goddamn Elrod wasn’t meant to wear that expression.

I nodded. “Can’t you tell?”

“Why didn’t you say it?”

“For good reason, I was scared you’d freak out and run off.”

“I wouldn’t. Run off, I mean. I would’ve freaked out.”

“Do you?”

“Love you? Tilian, baby, I flipped my entire life upside down, not just for me, but for you. You gave me the courage to do it. That’s what you do. You force people to see their potential and you don’t accept their resistance to it.”

“That was a lot of words, but you didn’t answer the question.”

Taking both sides of my face, he leaned his forehead against mine. “I love you. I’ve been holding those words in for months.”

The smile didn’t leave my face, even as I kissed him. “I love you, Brooks. I chose you and I’ll always choose you. If I was held at gunpoint and told I’d be shot if I told you that I love you, at least I’d get to say it one more time before I died.”

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