Page 69 of Mine to Hold
He opened his mouth to interrupt her, but she talked so fast he couldn’t get in a single word.
“I’ve never had these feelings before. I’ve never allowed it. I’ve never stayed in one place long enough for it to happen andbesides, I’ve been too afraid of it. I keep trying to say the words, but I’m utterly terrified that if I do, I’ll be banished to the pool house. Which eventually I’ll have to go back there, because even if you do feel the same way I do, we’re not ready for the living together shit. You act like a man who is… is… in… Jesus, I can’t even get there because I don’t even know what this looks like. I’m a grown-ass woman. I’ve been taking care of myself my entire adult life, but I don’t know shit about this one thing.” She dropped her hands in her lap and lowered her head. “I don’t even know how to say it.”
Emmerson pushed his plate across the table and turned his chair while he processed every single word that had come out of her mouth. He totally understood her trepidation. He had the same problem. He’d been holding back as much as she had, only he had no idea that’s what she’d been doing.
They’d both been through a lot in the last few weeks.
And she’d been running and hiding her entire life, never really knowing what true love was all about.
At least he knew what that looked like. He’d felt it. He’d had loving relationships, even if they’d turned to shit.
He shifted her chair and lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Let me get us both there. Say it for both of us.”
“I’m not even sure I made sense.” She kept her gaze anywhere but connecting with his.
“Look at me.”
She blinked.
“I haven’t made this easy for you. I’m moody and I’ve been hurt, leading you to believe that it’s impossible for me to love again. To completely give of myself. Before I met you, I thought that was true. I’ve wanted to tell you how I feel, but honestly, I’ve been afraid.”
“Of what?” More tears.
God, he hated making her cry. That was the last thing he wanted to do. She’d had enough of that in her life.
“That I’d scare you so badly you’d pack your bags and move in the middle of the night. I thought if I told you that I love you, it would?—”
“You what now?” She grabbed his face. “I’m honestly not sure I heard that correctly. And to be fair, no one has ever said those words to me and meant them.”
“Aw, now that just breaks my heart,” he said. “I love you, Rumor. And I mean it from the bottom of my heart.”
“How I wish we could get saucy between the sheets, because I love you right back.”
“Yeah, it’s going to be a few weeks before we can defile anything else in this house.” He jerked his finger over his shoulder toward the dock. “Or my boat, because it hasn’t been christened yet.”
“I could be down for some ocean sex.” She swiped at her cheeks. “I wish that hadn’t been so hard. For either of us.”
“Sometimes it takes broken souls a little longer. Though we fell in love pretty quickly.” He chuckled. “You want to hear something funny?”
“Sure.”
“I told my mother that I loved you when they were wheeling you out of this house and taking you to the hospital.”
She gasped. “No way.”
“I did. Oddly enough, everyone in my family already knew that. But I don’t say those words to just anyone and I wanted to find the perfect time. I wanted it to be special because you’re so very special to me. I can’t imagine going through life without you in it. I was so scared you were going to die that night.”
“But I didn’t.” She smiled.
“Nope, you didn’t. And I love you and I’m going to keep telling you that. Over and over again. Because it rolls off my tongue like candy.”
“Now you’re being a dork.” She leaned in, wincing a little, then kissing him softly.
“Does this mean you’re going to make Lighthouse Cove your home?”
“I can’t think of any other place I’d rather be.” She smiled. “Or anyone else I’d rather be with.”
And with that, Emmerson not only found his soulmate, but he mended every wound he’d held on to. Rumor was his lighthouse. His light, guiding him home.
