Page 71 of Jessica's Hero
My heart flips over again. “You can feel however you want. And trust me, Jess. I have no doubts about your independence. I’m just glad you let me take care of you sometimes.”
Before Jess can respond, I jump up from the bed. “Hang on. I have something for you.”
I can practically feel her gaze on my ass as I cross the room to the dresser. And I fucking love it.
Once I retrieve the cardboard box I’ve had hidden in my sock drawer, I return to Jess’s side. Taking a seat beside her, I readjust the covers so they’re over both of us. Then I hand her the package and say, “One more gift.”
“Kane.”It’s lightly scolding. “You already got me so much. All the new books, and the office chair, and the cashmere sweater… And that’s not even counting the party. That’s already too?—”
“Nothing is too much for you,” I interject. “And besides. This gift is different.”
Wrinkles crease her brow as she looks at me. “Okay?”
Nerves erupt in my stomach. What seemed like a great idea a couple of weeks ago I’m now not as certain about. What if it makes her sad? What if I did something that I had no business getting involved with?
But it’s too late now. Despite my concerns, I can’t exactly take the gift back. So I swallow hard against myrising nerves and say, “I really hope this is okay. If you don’t like it, I can… I don’t know. Fix it.”
Except I can’t. Not with this. So I really, really hope I didn’t screw up.
Jess lifts off the lid of the box and peers down at the layers of bubble wrap within. Then, with hesitant fingers, she removes the wrap to reveal what’s inside.
For a few moments, as she stares at it, my breath stops.
Then she pulls out the glass figure with a trembling hand. The glass lobster that’s no longer in pieces, but all together again, albeit with a few faint lines where the breaks were fused.
“Kane.”Tears shine in her eyes. “Is this…”
“Your mom’s lobster. I found a guy who does glassblowing, and he thought he could fix it. I mean, it’s not perfect, you can still see the lines where it broke, but I thought it was better than before. And you could put it on display again.”
Jess sets the lobster back in the box and sets it aside. When she looks back at me, a few tears trickle down her cheeks.
Shit. My heart falls.
“I’m sorry,” I hurry to say. “I didn’t mean… I thought you’d be happy. But if I fucked up… shit. I’ll do whatever I can to fix it. I don’t know what, but I’ll do it.”
“No, don’t apologize.” Jess sniffs. “It’s wonderful. I’m just crying because… I never imagined. This is the most perfect gift. I can’t believe you thought of this. That you remembered.”
Relief seeps in, making it easier to breathe. “I remember everything about you, Jess. How you like your coffee. Your favorite cities inTenebris Veil. The type offlower you like best. And how much this lobster means to you.”
“Kane.” Jess flings her arms around me and buries her face in my neck. She just sits like that for a few seconds, her heart racing against mine. Then she tilts her head back to meet my gaze. “Thank you. So much. I can’t even explain how much this means.”
“I’d do anything for you.” I brush my lips across hers. “Anything to make you happy. To see you smile. To make sure you know?—”
But saying I care about Jess isn’t enough. It’s too small to describe the intensity of my feelings for her.
“I love you,” I blurt out. “I want you to know how much I love you. I know it hasn’t been that long, but I can’t help how I feel. But it’s okay if you’re not there yet. Or if you… shit. I can’t say I don’t want you to love me. But?—”
“I do.” She frames my face with her hands. Emotion runs deep in her eyes. “I love you, Kane. And I don’t care how long we’ve been together. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is how I feel when I’m with you.”
A burst of joy fills my chest. “And how do you feel?”
“Happier than I’ve ever been.” Jess snuggles closer to me. Her gaze is steady on mine. “It feels like the broken parts of me are healing because of you.”
Oh.
My heart.
Gathering her into my arms, I lift Jess into my lap and press my lips to her forehead. “I’ve never felt happier, either.”
