Page 60 of 28 Dates

He slows the kiss, and I’m on my toes, leaning into him, seeking more of him, and when his lips are against mine again, he’s smiling. “Tell me you love me again.”

“I love you.” It comes so naturally, so smoothly. There was no reason to be scared. I suppose when you give your heart to the right person, you know they can be trusted with it.

What Teagan said earlier now makes complete sense. Admitting it is the first step to happiness, because my body has never felt lighter. My spirit has never been more free than in this moment, and I want to protect it like a mama bear so nothing can move in and ruin it.

“I love you, too, Caitlin. I have for years.”

His admission sparks more tears, happy tears, sad tears, regretful tears that if I’d opened my eyes to see him so long ago, we wouldn’t have lost so much time together, and there’s still so much about me he doesn’t know.

“I have to tell you—”

“Not tonight,” he says, cutting me off. His thumb wipes tears off my cheeks, and he kisses my cheek. “We have all the time in the world for you to tell me whatever you want, but tonight is for us, for enjoying this moment.”

“Okay.”

Chapter 22

Jonas

She’s absolutely correct. We have so much to talk about, but the only thing I want to do tonight is seduce Caitlin in the way I’ve been wanting to do for years. Then sweep her into my arms and take her to my place for the night.

Her smile lights up the bar but her tears hold my attention.

“You need to stop crying.”

She laughs and swipes her cheeks. “My makeup is probably a disaster.”

“You’ve never looked more beautiful.” Because now she’s all mine, and already I can see how much she’s held back, and how much more she has to give.

She rolls her eyes and steps back, reaching for a napkin to dot beneath her eyes. The entire time she’s still smiling, shaking her head. Her gaze darts from the lights to the candles and back to me.

“I can’t believe you shut down the restaurant for me.” She shakes her head in the most adorably confused way.

It saddens me she doesn’t always realize she’s special and deserving of this and so much more. Thank God I have years to teach her. “You’re worth any cost.” To my bottom line, to my profit margin, to my heart and soul. She’s worth risking everything for.

“You say the sweetest things.”

I’m only getting started. Hearing her say she loves me makes me the luckiest guy in the world. I know how hard it is for her to admit it. I also know her well enough to know anything can still scare her away.

“I have dinner for us in the back. Would you like to grab a table and I’ll bring it out with some drinks?”

A deep red blush blooms on her cheeks, and her hands go to her coat, unbuttoning it. She smiles at me over her shoulder, and it shoots straight to my dick. “Dinner and drinks with you would be lovely.”

“A date.”

“Our first date,” she says, and her smile falters.

We’ll get past it. “Our first of many.”

“Deal.”

“Grab a seat at your favorite table,” I lean in and give her a quick kiss. Now that I can touch her I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop. I definitely know I never want to. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

She takes a couple steps, draping her coat over the barstool, and at the last second, she snags theStar Warsbook. “I can’t believe it was you the whole time.”

“Yes, you can, if you think about it.” She’ll put it together. The pieces. The picture. How I kept things superficial and yet still knew so much. I dropped little clues in every conversation. The way I stood her up but didn’t.

She’s grinning at me, bemused, when her expression flattens and sadness trickles in. “You’re right. I think maybe I did. Or maybe hoped?”

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