Page 147 of Broken Trails
Because this—her—is heaven.
“I love you,” I mumble against her lips.
She stills, pulling back just enough to search my face. “You what?”
“I love you, Zoe…” I stop, scowling. “Wait. There’s no way I’m about to say fuckwit’s last name.”
“You won’t have to,” she says, a tear slipping free, but her voice steady. “Because my name is officially Zoe Parkinson again.”
“Thank fuck.” I clear my throat, fighting through the pain. “I fucking love you, Zoe Parkinson. Fuck…” I exhale, a broken laugh slipping out. “I think I’ve loved you since the day you came into my shop. That white sundress, hair blowing in the wind, hot fucking mess and all.”
She rolls her eyes, lips quivering. “I doubt that.”
“Yeah? You can doubt it all you want, baby. But you wanna know what I think?”
Her smirk tilts. “What?”
“My love for you is the one thing, in my fucked-up twenty-seven years of life, that I will never, ever doubt.” I brush away the single tear tracking down her cheek. “You walked into my life, all fire and attitude, and for the first time, I didn’t feel… empty. Didn’t feel like I was just passing time. You made me want more. You make me want everything.”
She lets out a choked laugh. “You’re so cheesy, it’s infuriating.”
I grin, and she kisses me again. My hands disappear into that wild mane of hers, pulling her closer, deeper, until I’m certain we’re breathing the same air. When she finally pulls back, her arm brushes across the blanket—and my now very obvious hard-on underneath it. She raises a brow.
“Really? Is that what I think it is?”
“Oh, you mean my third leg? Then yeah, you’re correct.”
Her lips twitch. “Out of all places and times…”
“He knows what he wants,” I say, my grin slow and wicked. “And he’s missed the fuck out of you. We both have, Freckles.”
Her expression softens. “Michael… I’m sorry. I don’t know what I would’ve done if—”
“But I’m here,” I cut her words off softly. “I’m alive. And you’re with me. That’s all that matters.”
Her voice trembles as she says, “Leaving you without so much as a word was… easily the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Not leaving Liam. Not going through the divorce case. That. Walking away from you.” She swallows hard, her eyes glossing. “It’s not easy for me to say all this, and it terrifies the fuck out of me—opening myself up to someone again.”
This time, it’s my eyes that glass over, but no tears fall. This woman just makes me so fucking emotional, I don’t give a fuck if it looks like weakness. If it’s her? I’ll wear it proudly.
I place both palms on either side of her face. “Don’t be scared to start all over again. You might just end up loving the story you write next. I get that it’s hard, baby, but nothing worth having ever comes easy. The best things in life are the ones you don’t plan for… the ones you never see coming. And it’s more than okay to fight for someone who loves you back—someone who’s here to stay.”
Her lips press into a wobbly smile. “You’ve changed me, Michael. You made me feel again. You made me want again. I think I started to feel something for you that day you brought meSprinkles, when you stood there on my doorstep with that silly little cat like it was no big deal. And then it was the rides, the way you never pushed when I pulled away, the way you made space for me without asking for anything in return. You’ve been patient when I didn’t deserve it, and you’ve made me laugh when I didn’t think I could.”
She swallows hard. “Sprinkles has grown on me so much, I don’t know what I’d do without that little menace. And…” She exhales shakily, almost like it’s the most dangerous truth she’s ever said out loud. “Fuck, I think I’m in love with you too.”
“You think?” I tease, arching a brow. “I’m gonna need you to be damn sure, Freckles.”
Her smile widens. “I am. I do.”
“Need to hear you say those three little words, Freckles.”
“I loveyou, Michael Price.”
She stares at me, eyes shining, and I make myself a silent promise—no more tears. Not for me. Not for anyone. There will never be a day she has to ask for reassurance. I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving she’s loved. Wanted. Needed.
And that’s all I need to hear. I pull her back into me, my hands sliding down her spine until they’re gripping her ass, squeezing her tighter, like I can anchor her here forever. Her mouth moves against mine, slow and deep, the kind of kiss that strips everything else away—no hospital, no pain, no past. Just her.
Because she’s home. And she’s back in my arms.
