Page 435 of Small Town Firsts
“Okay, pal. It was more like two.”
“Definitely three.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve never said the words in post-coital bliss.” I looked down at his mouth. “Never said them to any man, actually.”
He nudged up my chin. “No one?”
I blinked away the sting of tears. “No one mattered enough to give the words to. Not until you.”
He tried to sit up and whacked his head again. “Fuck.” He inched back, dragging me with him.
“Hey, watch the rug burn, PMS.”
“Sorry. I just can’t have this conversation under my damn desk.” He fixed his pants and dragged me into his lap, straddling him. “Let’s try this again.”
“I’m not going to offer up a soliloquy.”
“I wouldn’t expect one. But you’ve truly never said it to anyone?”
“Well, my mother and few select friends of course.”
“I am not select friends.”
The acid in his tone made me laugh. “That’s for sure.” At his narrow-eyed growl, I could do nothing else but frame his face with my hands. “You gave me time and I appreciate it. You gave yourself freely. No games, no strings, and no power plays. Okay, maybe a little strong-arming in getting me to do what you want sometimes, but I don’t mind that part so much.”
His eyes were rimmed with red, but he didn’t say a word. Sometimes he was smart enough to know that it was my turn to talk.
“Twice today, I got news, and all I wanted to do was tell you. The first thought I had was,PMS will absolutely go crazy when I tell him this.”
“Tell me what?”
“It’s not important.”
He sighed.
“I mean it is, and I’ll get to that. But the important part is that all I wanted to do was share my news with you. I’ve been on my own for so long. The only person who ever truly supported me was?—”
“You.”
“Yes. Luna and April have always been my girls. And I’d never discount that, but it’s different. I always thought it made me weak to need someone. But you made me see that it’s more powerful to have a connection like ours.” I stroked my thumbs over his cheeks. “I believe in us. Believe this is exactly where I’m supposed to be forever. With you, wherever we are.”
His arms tightened around me. “You can’t take back forever, Moonbeam. You realize that?”
I laughed and didn’t care that a few tears tumbled down my face. Relief unfurled inside my chest. I’d trapped those words inside the cage of my heart for so long. “Yes. I’m okay with that.”
“I love you so goddamn much.” He kissed me until we were both breathless and wincing from our position on the floor.
Finally, I slid off his lap and stretched my legs.
“Now about that news.”
I laughed. “Hang on, let me get it.”
“I’d get up, but I think you may have put me in traction. For real this time.” He twisted his back before rolling his shoulders.
I crawled over to the chair where he’d tossed my gifts.
“You have the finest assets in this building, Miss Moon.”
