Page 118 of Lust & Lies
“Because... remembering on your own could be traumatic,” I finally told her. “Especially if you remember things out of order.”
Which had to be the case if she was crying.
“Out of order?”
“Yeah. We went through a rough patch, Noe. But it was only a patch. It shouldn’t define our forever. And I’m scared you’ll be hurt by those memories if we don’t discuss them. If we don’t talk through them.”
I waited for her to respond, to say something, anything. But she remained silent, just staring at me. I kept my eyes on theroad, but from the corner of my eye, I knew she watched me the entire rest of the drive. I arrived at the site and pulled into the parking space.
As I turned the car off, I told her, “I’ll try to be as quick as possible...”
“Take your time, Aiden.”
She didn’t sound as distant as before. I looked her way to find she was no longer glaring at me.Damn, now I didn’t want to leave her side.
“I love you, Noe. So fucking much. I always have,” I told her.
She chuckled, but the sound held no mirth.
“I think we have a lot to talk about. But it can wait, husband.”
“Can you say I love you back?” I asked, needing to hear those words.
She hesitated.
“Only if you mean it,” I told her, knowing I didn’t deserve her precious heart, but craving it anyway.
She swallowed, tears filling her gaze. Yeah, she’d remembered something. And she was hurting because of it, because of me.Fuck!
“You don’t have to say it...”
“I love you, Aiden Park. So much, it hurts.”
But love shouldn’t hurt. Not the way she was hurting because of me. I took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions, afraid that this could be the last time she said those words to me. Afraid the pain from our past would overshadow the joy of our present.
“Noe...” I started.
“We’ll talk over breakfast,” she added. “Go. Handle your business.”
“I love you,” I said again, unable to help myself.
“I know.”
“So fucking much.”
“I know.”
“I need you to breathe, Noe.”
She chuckled, and this time there was mirth in her laughter. It was music to my ears.
“I know, Aiden. Go. Before Julian or whatever his name was comes looking for you.”
“Fuck him. You’re what’s important to me.”
Her gaze softened. “I hope that’s true,” she whispered.
“It is, love.”
