Page 50 of Always? Forever.
He looked at me, as I lay in his arms, caressing my cheek as he gently said, “I love you.” I had no doubts he didn’t but it scared me nonetheless. The last time a man said he loved me, he broke me, broke my heart.
Kartik
I almost thought she hadn’t heard me, until her hands slipped from mine and she froze in my arms, her eyes wide, mouth parted in shock, like I’d just confessed to a felony, not to falling in love. She stared at me like she didn’t believe I could ever mean it. Like the idea that someone could actually loveherwas too impossible to digest.
She leaned back.
And before I could so much as blink, she stood up, spun around and bolted out of the room to my bedroom.
I stood there, in the middle of a damn living room, looking like a man who’d just been publicly dumped—which, I guess, in some ways, I had. But I wasn’t pissed because she ran. I was pissed because Iknewshe'd run, and I still didn’t stop myself. I should’ve told her when she wasn’t this vulnerable, where she couldn’t pull her classic track star move. But I was glad I confessed in private where she could freak out all she wanted and I’d still be there.
For her. For me. Forus.
Going to my room, there she stood, arms folded, back stiff as a board, facing the window. She hadn’t heard me approach, but she definitely felt it. Her shoulders tensed when I quietly shut the door behind me.
I didn’t say a word. I didn’t touch her. Just stood close enough to remind her I wasn’t going anywhere.
She turned. Eyes glassy, cheeks streaked with tears. Her hands landed on my chest, trying to shove me away, but I didn’t budge.
“Why… why did you say that?” she whispered.
“I meant it.”
“Why did youhaveto say that?!” she yelled, actually pushing me this time. I let her.
“Everything was going great! And then you go and drop theLword like a bomb. You can’t just… fall for me, Kartik!”
Oh, now I am pissed.
Because even after everything, every smile, every kiss, every late-night rant and 3 a.m. confession, shestillbelieved she wasn’t someone worth loving. All because some idiotic guy inher past treated her like a pit stop instead of a destination. He was a dick. Not even deserving to call a man, he was a boy.
She wiped her face, breathing hard. “Everything was fine before. And it can still be fine. Just… take those words back.”
I stared at her. “What did you think all those kisses were for? National charity week?”
She huffed. “Let’s be real, youdidenjoy publicly sticking your tongue down my throat.”
“Oh my god, Samaira, I am literally baring my soul here and you’re cracking jokes? Iloveyou.”
She gasped, again. She really had a flair for dramatic oxygen intake.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she whispered.
I softened. “Listen, if pretending that I never said it is what it takes for you to stay… then fine. I’ll pretend. I’ll spend every day trying to make you fall in love with me, and if you don’t… if by the end of it, you still don’t feel the same, I’ll walk away. No questions, no drama.”
I looked down, afraid I might fall apart. But when I glanced up, she looked… furious.
“I want you to stay, you idiot,” she snapped.
I let out a bitter laugh. “You want me to stay but can’t figure out how you feel about me? That’s peak rom-com nonsense.”
She threw her hands up. “You don’t get to take back your love confession! That’s cowardly and Iwilljudge you.”
“Why not?!”
“Because I feel the same way, you absolute moron!” she shouted.
I froze. “Wait… what?”
