Page 132 of Sombra
Twenty-Four
Kim - Instagram
“Tavo,” I cry, my voice breaking. “You’re really here?”
For a moment, he stands still, his hand poised midair, not processing what’s happening.
I’m not processing that he’s here, either.
My tall, strong Spaniard with hiskind, thoughtful eyes and mop of hair. He’s a dirty dream and a beautiful vision. Real and more than real.
Waking up from his momentary stupor, he walks over to me warily and pauses, leaning his head to the side.
A tear rolls down my face and I nod. He reaches down, wraps his arms around me, and holds me to him so tight, his warm, strong arms enveloping me with comfort. A comfortI’ve been missing since the last time we were together in Spain.
A comfort I may have been missing my whole life.
He buries his nose in my neck. I’ve never had anyone hold me like that, at least not since I was a baby.
He shudders against my torso, and I know he’s sobbing. “Kim. You saw. You knew.”
“I knew.” And I burst out crying. Snotty, ugly crying. I thought I’dbe cried out, but I was wrong. Tavo’s not repelled by my emotions. He’s holding me anyway, like it doesn’t matter that I’m not perfect. That I made a mistake. Or we made mistakes. That we both did something that didn’t turn out just right. It doesn’t matter what happened to us or what we did.
All that matters is that he sees me right now. And he holds me when I need to be held.
“I can’t live without you, amor. I can’t.”
“Me either,” I sniffle.
“We have a lot to talk about,” he says against my hair.
“I know. I absolutely know,” I say, my sobs still shuddering.
“You saw my posts?”
“Yes. I love your posts.”
I love you. I trust you.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he says, and he pulls away. His eyes are red with tears and exhaustion.I’m sure mine are the same.
“I’m here. I’m really here. Let’s talk.”
He lets out his breath. “Kim, I’m sorr—”
“No.” I cut him off. “I’m the one who has to apologize. I’m the one who believed what I saw, not what I felt. I’m the one who needed space to think. But I knew it underneath it all. I knew we needed to be together.”
His face relaxes in relief.
“I shouldhave believed what I knew in my core was the truth. Not something conscious or what anyone said.”
“It is. It is.” He’s examining me, as if he can’t believe I’m really in front of him. The noise goes on around us at the airport, and we don’t move. We just stand while announcements are called on the PA system and taxis honk outside.
There’s no way he can’t feel how fast my heart isbeating. The shortness of breath. The pulsing in my veins and roar in my ears.
“Gustavo.” I pick at my lip, then face him straight. Eyes on his. “I love you so much I don’t even know how to tell you. I love your earnestness. I love your giving nature. I love you, and if I have to live without you, I’d be living a half life. I never want to let you go.”
He almost collapses in reliefand reaches for me. Holding me again. “Te quiero, Kim Brown. I love you. Te amo. In whatever language, you have my heart, my soul, my everything—”
