Page 87 of Rebel

“You okay?”I asked, the question part of our ritual now.

“More than okay.”She propped herself up on an elbow, looking down at me.Her strawberry-blonde hair fell in waves around her face, and I reached up to tuck a strand behind her ear.

“I’ll stock up on condoms,” I said, the thought occurring to me suddenly.“Been running low.”

Something flickered across her face -- uncertainty, maybe.She bit her lower lip, considering her response.

“I mean, we don’t have to,” I added quickly.“If they’re uncomfortable or something…”

“It’s not that,” she said, sitting up fully now.The sheet pooled around her waist, but she didn’t seem to notice or care about her nakedness.“I just…”

I waited, giving her space to find the words.Pushing Rio never worked -- she’d shut down faster than a motorcycle with sugar in the gas tank.

“I love you,” I said, the words falling from my lips before I could catch them.I hadn’t meant to say it now, like this, but there they were, hanging in the air between us.

Her eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away.Progress.

“I love you,” I repeated, more firmly this time.“And I want you to set the pace for our future.Whatever that looks like.”

She studied me, her blue eyes searching mine like she was looking for the lie, the catch.Finding none, she nodded slowly.

“Maybe someday I’ll want children,” she said, the words careful, measured.“But I’m not ready yet.I have an implant.”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral despite the surge of emotion her words triggered.She was thinking about our future -- a future with children.Someday.

“I’ll have it removed when the time comes,” she continued, her voice steadier now.“When I’m ready.When we’re ready.”

I reached for her hand, threading our fingers together.“No rush.We’ve got time.”

The tension in her shoulders eased slightly.“You don’t mind waiting?”

“Rio, before you, I didn’t even think about having kids.Ever.Then you tornadoed into my life, and suddenly I’m thinking about shit like what schools they’d go to.”

A small smile tugged at her lips.“Tornadoed?”

“It’s a word.”

“It’s really not.”

I pulled her back down beside me, her head finding its place on my chest again.“The point is, I’m in no hurry.You decide when or if you’re ready.I’m just happy you’re considering a future with me in it.”

She was quiet for a moment, her fingers tracing the tattoo on my ribs.“Since I have the implant, you don’t have to use condoms.”

“If you decide you want kids, but don’t want to go through a pregnancy, we’ll figure it out,” I said.“Adoption, surrogacy, whatever.Or just us, with no kids, if that’s what you want.”

She nodded against my chest, and I felt something wet on my skin.A tear.I pretended not to notice, giving her the dignity of her private emotion.

“I never thought I’d meet someone who’d just… accept me,” she said, her voice slightly rough.“All my shit, my damage.”

“We’ve all got damage, darlin’.Mine’s just different than yours.”

She lifted her head, her eyes shining but fierce.“Don’t minimize what I’m trying to say, asshole.”

I grinned.“There’s my girl.”

She smacked my chest lightly but settled back against me.“I’m trying to tell you I love you too, dickhead.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, stealing my breath.I’d hoped but hearing her say it made everything real in a way it hadn’t been before.

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