Page 147 of The Plan

“I’m sorry. Idon’twant to fight.”

I smile at how she sounds like she’s reminding herself and give her a quick kiss.

“Us being together isn't putting a strain on my relationship with her. She just… She needs to get to know you.” She holds my hand again, and I nod, more to myself.

“Yeah, no, you're right. I should’ve been making more of an effort.” I shake my head at myself. “We should invite her for dinner.”

Vid chuckles softly and shakes her head at me. “Baby steps, mi amor.” Right… I’m sure dinner would be very fucking awkward.

“Okay, I’ll start with talking to her on the phone when she calls you, but I need to learn Spanish, so can you hurry up and teach me?”

She breaks into a laugh, but I’m being serious. When she looks back at me, she just shakes her head with the biggest smile. “I love you.” She plants a quick kiss on my lips and walks away. I almost follow but then freeze.What did she just say?

She looks back at me from over her shoulder, and I don’t think she even realized what she just said. “What?”

“You love me?”

She fully turns, and I can’t tell what expression is on her face. Shock, maybe? I don’t know. I just know I’ve waited so damn long for her to say those words to me, and she just did.

She said it so effortlessly, too. Like breathing. “Can you please say it again?” I close the distance between us and take her hands in mine.

She has a smile on her face, but she seems nervous. “I love you.” She sounds like she’s trying it on her tongue.

“You do?”

“Well, I said it, didn’t I?” She looks shy, like she can’t believe she even admitted her love for me, but she did.

“Say it one more time.” I close my eyes and lean my forehead against hers.

“Sire…” She laughs and pulls away a bit. “You’re going to be late to—”

“I don’t care.” I look between her eyes, and I immediately get lost in them. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you to tell me that. I don’t care if I’m late. Say it one more time.”

She laughs, but I’m so serious. I thought her laugh was the most perfect thing ever, but the way she says she loves me definitely takes the Carvel’s fucking cake. She leans in and slowly kisses me, then pulls away and says what I’ve actually been dying to hear.

“Te amo, Sire Griffin.” NowthatI understand. I take in a deep breath, soaking in her words. When I open my eyes, she’s looking up at me like she meant it. She’s looking at me like she loves me.Reallyloves me.

“I’ve been waiting four years for you to say that, and now that you have…” I wrap an arm around her waist and bring her closer. “Ireallywant to take you in my car right now.” I want to fuck her until she’sscreamingto the world that she loves me. I plant soft kisses on her neck, but she pulls away with a laugh. When shewalks back to my car, I think she’s taking me up on my offer, but then she pulls out my baseball bag I was forgetting.

“Our first time after we’re really back together will not be in your car.” I let out a disappointed sigh, but she’s right. She definitely deserves better than that.

She walks over to me with a smirk on her face. “Wait til later. It’ll be worth it.” She walks off, but not before I smack her ass.

“I knew you were going to do that!”

“And youletme.”

She looks back at me as she bites back a smile and squints her eyes at me. I walk her to the sports physician’s room and then head to the locker roomaftermaking her tell me she loves me again.

“What’s got you smiling like that?”

I look over at August with a smile because I can’t wipe it off even if I try. “I have a good feeling about today’s game,” is all I say because if I say I’m smiling like this because of Vid, he is going to tease me since I always tease him about Hazel making him smile like this.

When we walk out on the field, the crowd immediately starts cheering. August waves at everyone, like always, because he’s an attention whore. When he goes to autograph things for the people closest to the field, I follow behind him for a change.

“Wow, someone played the lottery.”It feels like I won the lottery.

“Shut up.” We both sign a bunch of baseballs, a few hats, and jerseys, and then the game is about to start, so we wave goodbye.

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