Page 99 of Timeless

“I thought it was too good to be true,” I admitted, my mind jumping at all the reasons why she would be kicking me out and not giving me a shot. “I guess I don’t believe you, when you say you are going to give me a shot.”

Didn’t make fucking sense why she would.

“Jax.” Her hands went from around my neck to my face. “I’m sorry.”

“For?” I couldn’t think of one thing she should be saying sorry for. Unless she was going back to tonight’s events, which meant I was about to give her a lecture.

“For leaving you.” One of her hands ran down my chest. God, her touch. “When I say I’m giving you a shot, I mean it. And not just a shot at being my fuck buddy. But a shot for us.”

“For us?” I encouraged.

“For us to make it.” She gave me a smile, like it was obvious. “Our history shows we won’t. But what can I say, I love you. I guess love makes us do insane things, right?’

My fingers slowed to snail pace. “What did you just say?”

“Love makes us do insane things?” She frowned.

“No, before that.”

“I love you?” She tilted her head. “Why are you looking at me like you don’t believe me?”

“Nah, you don’t.” I shook my head, fucking impossible. I loved her. No way, after all this time could she sayI love youto me and mean it. Nope. Not possible. “You’re tired, and confused. And maybe turned on because I’m touching you.”

Her hand was off my chest and between her legs, stopping my hand completely.

“If you really think that, then stop.” Her words were firm, filled with hurt.

How had I hurt her? I had just stated facts. “Amber, I don’t need you to lie to me.”

“You cannot be serious right now?” Her eyes narrowed. “You actually think I don’t love you?”

“I’m not arguing over this.” It was pointless when we both knew the truth. Amber was saying it because I was reminding her of a time we used to be together. It wasn’t possible for her to mean those words right now.

“Okay then, you are so sure on this. Then let me enlighten you.” Her hand pushed mine away from her completely. “I lost a part of me that day I walked from that prison. I got so fucking depressed because I loved you so much and couldn’t understand how you could do that to me. I gave birth to your son. Who I have raised on my own. Who has your eyes and every time I look into them I’m reminded how much I love his father. And how much I miss his father.” Tears swelled up in her eyes. “I haven’t stopped loving you since I was eighteen. I didn’t stop loving you when you went to prison. I didn’t stop loving you as my life moved on. I didn’t stop loving you when I was with someone else. I have always loved you. Will always love you. And if you don’t believe it, and think I’m lying, then you explain to me what I’ve been feeling all these years?”

I didn’t know what to say. All this time I thought I would have to earn her love back, try and convince her to love me again. And here she was, saying she has never stopped loving me?

She wiped tears off her cheek.

I didn’t have to question her on whether she was telling me the truth or not. I heard the pain and honesty in her words, like she was bleeding her heart to me.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t deserve her love. I lowered my lips to hers, gently kissing her, but she wasn’t kissing me back.

“I’m sorry,” I said, taking my lips off hers. “I just… didn’t expect you to still care for me.”

“Didn’t care for you? I’ve been living my life, waiting for you to come back into it. I didn’t realize that though, until you came back.” She placed her hand on my cheek. “I don’t understand how you can still love me. After everything. But me loving you, there was never any doubt.”

“You’re the love of my life, Amber.” I smiled at her. “Nothing you can do will ever stop me from loving you.”

“Whatever made you think you weren’t the love of mine?” She arched her eyebrows. “Hell, I’ve only ever loved you. If I remember correctly, you were the one with the problem admitting it.”

“How about we leave the past in the past, and go back to something more joyful?” I gently put my hand back on her. “You were nearly there, before I stopped you.”

She sighed. “You sure you don’t want to go to sleep?”

I dipped my head, kissing her cheek. I wasn’t sleeping until I gave her a release. One she had been needing for six years.

“I don’t want you exhausted because of me. You can stop, Jax. We can pick it up another night or um… day.” She glanced at the curtains, which were blocking the sun from coming in. “God, I’ve kept you up all night.”

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