Page 107 of Not For Keeps
I swallow hard. My hands are shaking as I reach for hers—careful, gentle, scared she might break if I hold too tight.
“I will always come running back to you, Lyse. Always. You scared the hell out of me,” I say, and my voice cracks.
She gently squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Baby, no, don’t say sorry. This isn’t your fault. There was no way you could’ve known that this would happen.”
“Where’s Maya? Is she okay?” Panic laces her voice.
“She’s okay, Lyse. Maya’s okay. I promise. She’s with Seb and Mari, but they’re going to come back as soon as she’s fed and showered.”
“She’s okay?”
“Yeah, baby. You both are okay.”
“Mateo…I know we were in a weird place before all this happened?—”
“It’s okay, Lyse. We don’t have to talk about that right now.”
“We do, Mateo. We do. Because life is too damn short. I could’ve died today. Maya could’ve died.” she says, her voice cracking. “And I would’ve died without ever having told you how I feel about you. How much you mean to me. I love you,Mateo. I love you so much that it scares me. I thought I knew what love was. I thought I understood what being in love meant. But now I realize that I didn’t know real love until you came along. You’ve changed me, Mateo. You’ve altered my chemistry in a way that I could’ve never imagined. In a way that means my body could never be away from yours. My soul, my heart, could never be without you,” she says, pressing a soft kiss to my hand. “You asked me to tell you the truth, and this is it. I want you. I need you. You’re the missing part of my heart. And I’d be lying if I said that the idea of you having so much control over my heart isn’t freaking me out, but one thing I know for certain is I’d give you my heart any day if it meant always feeling the love that you pour into Maya and I every single day.”
Tears are streaming down her face, her big brown eyes staring back at me, and I know that this is it. She is it. Her and Maya are it for me.
I lean in and press the softest kiss against her lips, careful to not hurt her. “I love you, too. You and Maya. I love you both so much. I couldn’t survive it if I lost either of you. Chula, tu eres mi alma y mi vida. I’d run into that building all over again for you both. Every single damn time, without a question. I know it hurt you that Nico left, trust me, I want to lay that motherfucker out, but I need you to know that you’re not alone anymore. Maya isn’t alone. I love that little girl like she’s my own. She’sourgirl. Our baby girl. And I promise you that I’ll be the father she needs, I’ll be everything you both need forever, if you’ll have me. As soon as you’re better, I’m gonna make an honest woman out of you, because you’re mine. You always have been.”
“Are you asking me to marry you, Mateo?”
“You’re damn right I am, chula. I know I don’t have the big fancy ring and I’m not on bended knee, but I can’t live without you, Analyse. I don’t want to go another dayknowing that you’re not mine for keeps. Hell, I don’t wanna go another second. Please make me the happiest man in the world and say yes.”
We’re both crying now, her fingers threaded through mine.
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yeah, Mateo. I’ll marry you. I want to be your wife. I want everything.”
I jump up in the air, let out a loud whoop, and run to the door and yell, “SHE SAID YES! THIS WOMAN IS GOING TO MARRY ME!”
Everyone begins cheering, and Analyse lets out a small laugh.
“God, I love you,” she says.
“Say it again.”
“I love you.”
“I’ll never get sick of hearing you saying that.”
“And I’ll never get sick of saying it,” she says sleepily, eyes growing heavy.
“Okay, time to rest.”
“I’m okay. Really.”
“Nope. You need your rest. And I’m gonna call Seb to bring our girl so she can see you. I know she’s gnawing at the bits right now.”
“Okay. Just a small nap before I see Maya.”
