Page 133 of Let You Love Me

I squeeze my eyes closed and tip my head back, resigning myself to either flunking my presentation and ending up with a D in the class or allowing the day care to call an ambulance for something as minor as a split knee.

Unless . . .

My thoughts drift to Teagan at the same time a warm arm slides around my waist as if conjured by my subconscious.

“Hey there, beautiful,” the familiar voice murmurs.

“Teagan!” I whirl around, panic filling my veins as his arm falls.

Instantly, his expression transforms. His smile dims, replaced with a frown. “What’s wrong?” His forehead furrows. “Is it thepresentation? Breathe, baby,” he says, sliding his hands up and down my arms.

He called me baby.

I shake my head, refocusing my thoughts. “No. It’s not that. I . . . God, I hate to do this, but I need a favor.”

“Anything. Just name it.”

My breath stalls, the words lodged in my throat.

In all the years since I had Sophie, I’ve never needed a favor from someone outside my parents, and even then, it’s a rare exception.

But there’s a first time for everything, and I can feel things changing with us like the shifting of sand through an hourglass. Maybe I don’t rely on Teagan in the same way I would if he were Sophie’s father. I don’t need a paycheck, or for him to tuck her in at night. But there are other ways to rely on someone. Ways not tangible and hidden from the naked eye. I’m relying on Teagan to be there and show up, toloveus.

A shockwave ripples through me at the revelation.

Because I love him; I know I do.

I don’t know when or how it happened, but somewhere between the day he flashed me his dimpled smile and insisted he was going to be the best damn friend I could ever have and now, I’ve fallen for him.

I’ve just been too damn scared to admit it for fear the second I let my guard down, I’ll get hurt.

My pulse races as the revelation settles in my bones because I have more pressing matters to handle right now.

Just say what you want, Lane. Ask for help.

“I need you to take Sophie to urgent care,” I blurt.

His expression tightens with worry, his tone ominous as he asks, “Where is she? What happened?”

“She’s at day care and she’s okay, but she fell and needs stitches in her knee. If I don’t get her, they’ll take her byambulance, and I hate the thought of her riding with strangers to the hospital. But if I do take her—”

“You miss your presentation. Don’t worry, I got this.”

He answers so quickly, it gives me pause, sure he doesn’t understand. “But you’d have to gonow,which means you’ll miss your morning class.”

“Lane,” he gently presses his hands over my shoulders, “I said I’ve got it.”

“Okay.” I nod through the swell of guilt in my chest. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. Even if I had practice, I’d leave to take her.”

I blink, startled, and let the thought settle, somehow easing a little bit of the heaviness inside my chest. “You know I wouldn’t be upset if you couldn’t. I can just give my professor a doctor’s note and hope he accepts it.”

He shakes his head, his expression stony as he tightens his hands over my shoulders. “No way. You’ve been practicing your spiel all week and working on the presentation even longer. If you miss, you’ll screw your grade. So, I’m going to grab Sophie and get her through the stitches like a pro while you ace your project.”

My heart melts, and I start to move again. “I don’t deserve you.”

“You absolutely fucking do, but if you want to show me just how much you appreciate me, I can think of a few ways.” He winks, and I bark out a laugh.

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