Page 120 of A Pizza My Heart

Wholly.

Wren Daniels loves me.

And I love her.

“You do,” she says breathlessly. “Oh hell. Youdo.”

I nod. “I do.”

“You’ve had it.”

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I laugh. “I did. You just didn’t listen.”

Her head drops to my chest and I wrap my arms around her, holding her to me as she laughs.

“I’m an idiot. I’ve been waiting for that moment, ya know, the one that just feels like ‘the big one’ where it hits me like a ton of bricks. But I didn’t have to. You’ve been sneaking your way into my heart for the last thirteen years, piece by piece.”

“Slice by slice,” I tease. “I mean, it’s only right for us to compare it to pizza.”

“Shut up.” She grins. “Is that how it was for you?”

“Yep. It was slow, took years for me to realize, but once I did, I couldn’t shake it. You were mine before you even knew it.”

“I know it now.”

“You’ve known it, you just didn’tknow.”

“Because that’s not confusing.” She chuckles. “What are we going to do now?”

“Quit pretending?”

“Oh, please. I haven’t pretended in…well, ever.”

“Really?”

She shakes her head. “No. I tried at first, but I couldn’t do it. I gave up about five minutes into it.” She purses her lips. “Well, actually up until the moment you regaled me with your semi-autobiographical tale.”

“It worked, though, didn’t it?”

“It worked.”

“I love you, Wren.”

“I know you do.”

I laugh at her defiance and press my mouth to hers in a soft, chaste kiss.

She sighs blissfully as I pull away, and her lips move as she whispers something I can’t make out.

“What was that?”

“What was what?”

“Uh-huh.” I narrow my eyes. “Are you going to make me tickle it out of you?”

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