Page 75 of Lust & Lies
“Aiden,” I whispered, stunned by his words.
“Thank you for speaking your mind and not holding things in,” he told me. “Thank you for being open with me.”
I stared into the eyes of my husband. No, this man wasn’t perfect. And I was sure there were things in our past that would bother me when I remembered them. But that was the past. Andwe’d already lived through that, already argued about it, and made it past that.
I needed to focus on my future with this handsome man who was so damn patient with me, even when I wasn’t patient with myself or with him. The man who touched me with such tenderness that it brought tears to my eyes.
The man who spoke to me calmly, even when I yelled, even when I knew I was frustrating him. The man who protected me and my well-being fiercely. The man who was willing to fall into the abyss with me and pull us both out.
The man who loved me so much that I could hear it in his voice when he talked to me. There was no mistaking it, I loved this man.
“I love you, Aiden Park,” I whispered, no longer able to hold those words in.
His eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open. “What did you say?”
It was almost comical how shocked he looked.
Leaning forward until my face was inches from his, I whispered, “I. Love. You. Aiden. Park.” I gave him a quick peck before leaning back.
He swallowed, eyes starting to glisten.
“Say it again,” he whispered, voice shaky.
“I love you, Aiden.”
“Again, baby,” he muttered.
“I love you, husband.”
I sat back, startled, when he rose to his feet abruptly. His hands went to my throat, thumbs sliding under my chin to tilt my head back, so that I was looking up at him as he peered into my eyes.
“Say it again for me, baby,” he whispered, lowering his face to mine.
“I love you, Aiden,” I announced, the last word getting swallowed up when his lips pressed against mine in a fierce kiss that left me breathless.
Ending the kiss, he stared down at me.
“I’ve been waiting so damn long to hear those words from you again,” he whispered.
“The wait is over.”
“I love you so fucking much, Noe. I live for you and I’d gladly die for you, do you understand me?”
“I do, love,” I whispered, once again tearing up like a weak bitch.
“You are the only thing in this world that matters to me,” he told me. “Everything I do is for you, I swear. Even when I’m obsessing and trying to keep you all to myself, I swear I’m not just thinking of me, I’m thinking of you and your needs too, Noe.”
I swallowed before whispering, “I know, love.”
He kissed me again, and this time the kiss was so sweet, so gentle, I damn near swooned like I was in one of those old-timey movies. He pulled away slowly and just stared at me, eyes shimmering. My damn stomach ruined the moment by reminding us we hadn’t eaten.
“Your stomach is growling,” he stated the obvious.
“I heard it.”
“I should let you eat,” he added.
“You should eat too.”
