Page 224 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10
"Professor Hunter, this is all too much. I appreciate the gesture, but I don't need any of this."
I wrapped my arms tighter around her. Her intoxicating smell was everywhere. Yeah, this was what happiness was.
"I feel like a Disney princess. Which makes you the handsome prince that rescued me. But I didn't even realize that I needed rescuing."
I laughed. "If I'm the prince, I certainly hope that you'll be my princess." But honestly, she had it all wrong. She was saving me, not the other way around. Dr. Clark was right. It had been far too long since I’d trusted someone. Penny made it easy.
She smiled up at me. "It's like I moved in without having to actually move any of my things. I guess that is rather convenient."
"It is."
"So you really want me to keep all this stuff?"
"I'm going to want to spoil you. That's something that you're going to have to accept. I want to give you everything. But I bought these things for you mainly because I want you to consider spending more time here. I thought that having these things here would make that easier. Besides, your bed is so uncomfortable," I added.
"I don't mind my bed. Actually I'm really used to it. It's quite comfortable now."
Had I read this all wrong? I hoped my disappointment wasn’t written on my face. "I'm not trying to pressure you, Penny. I know I have some things I need to deal with. And I promise that I am dealing with them. I'm just hoping that you'll consider spending more time here. I'm happiest when you're next to me." I traced my thumb along her lower lip.
"You mean like a few nights a week?"
"If that's what you want."
"What do you want?"
"If it was up to me, I'd have you here all the time."Permanently.I leaned down to kiss her, but she pulled away.
"I need to talk to you."
Why did she keep pushing me away? "We are talking. And I can't think of a better conversation to have."
"No, I mean I need to tell you something." She grabbed my arms and unwound herself from me. I instantly felt cold. She walked out of my closet and sat down on the bed.
I didn’t want to know whatever she wanted to tell me. I could tell it was bad news. I could already feel her slipping away. The distance between us was unsettling. I closed the gap between us and I sat down beside her. "I'll return everything. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." I’d fucked up. Clearly.
"It's not that. I love the idea of spending more time with you. I just need to tell you something."
"Okay."
She didn’t say anything at all.
"What's wrong, Penny?" I squeezed her hand. Whatever it was…I could fix it. I knew I could fix it.
"I don't want there to be any more secrets between us," she said.
I gazed into her eyes. It didn’t feel like she was about to tell me a secret. It felt like she was about to leave. I remembered how much it had killed me when Rachel disappeared. It would be a thousand times worse with Penny. And I’d actually have to watch her walk out of my life. I’d gotten a small taste of that the other day when she’d been angry with me. I didn’t want to do that again. My days and nights had been hell. That’s why we were here right now. With me practically asking her to move in with me. Because I knew I needed her. I knew what life was like without her.
She straddled me and put her hands on the sides of my face. I let my hands fall to the small of her back. All I wanted to do was pull her closer.Stop pushing me away.
"You're so handsome. I still don't know what you see in me." A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I see everything that I've always wanted." I kissed her cheek where the tear had fallen, like I could make it disappear.
"I need to tell you something. And you have to promise that you won't get mad."
"Just tell me." I kissed her other cheek where she’d shed another tear. Tonight had felt like a new beginning to me. But now it suddenly felt like the end.
She leaned in and kissed me. And I found myself trying to savor it. I wanted to remember what it felt like for her to want me. Because she was definitely leaving. How many times had she already tried to push me away?Please don’t go.But a piece of me knew it was inevitable. Because had I really changed? Was it even possible that I could be a good fit for her?No.She was too perfect. Too good. She had so much life left to live.
