Page 169 of Forever Never
He sighed. “You know what my parents were like,” he said finally.
“And?”
“And what? When we met, my father was in prison for fraud.”
“I know that. And now he’s out and running a business according to your brother.”
“Remi, my mom walked away from us like we were nothing.”
“Honey, that doesn’t mean you were nothing. That doesn’t mean anything about anyone but her. Same with your dad.”
“It’s easy for you to say growing up with Darlene and Gilbert Ford, Mackinac’s answer toLeave It to Beaver.”
“I am no more my parents than you are yours.”
“Your parents loved you and each other enough to stay and work and fight for each other.” His gave up, took the easy way out, walked away. Part of him had believed that if he would have been better, his parents would have, too.
She sighed, and he wished she were here in his bed. “It devastates me to know that you don’t realize what a good, honorable man you are.”
His throat tightened. “I love you, Remi.” He knew she wouldn’t say it back. Knew she wasn’t ready. He had his own proving to do there. But he needed her to know. “So fucking much that it hurts.”
“I don’t know what to say,” she confessed.
He recognized the note of panic in her voice and wished he could hold her.
“You don’t need to say anything back. You just need to hear me. Do you?”
“Yes. I do.” She sounded breathless.
His cock swelled against his stomach at the tremble in her voice. The never-ending need for her was a constant hum reverberating in his blood.
“It makes me feel dizzy, like I’m on a carousel trying to get my bearings,” she said.
“That’s how it feels for me, too.”
“Do you really mean it, Brick?”
“Baby, I love you so fucking much I can’t breathe unless you’re in the same room. So much I wish I were saying it to your beautiful face and not just your goddamn ear.”
His doorbell rang, and he swore.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone’s at the door.”
“Did you replace me already? Did you get yourself a new girlfriend before I even decided to be yours?”
“You were always mine,” he growled as he headed back down the stairs. “Always. The reason I asked Audrey out? Your dad told me about the guy you were dating in school. He sounded like he was perfect for you. A French hipster sculptor with long hair, and I was just a dirty-talking cowboy waiting for you to come home.”
“Jean-Claude? You gave up on me because ofJean-Claude? The guy smelled like mothballs and soup and he brought his fiancée along onoursecond date just so he could show off the pronunciation forménage à trois. There was no third date.”
Brick yanked the door open and found Remi standing there. She tossed her phone over her shoulder and jumped into his arms. “I love you. I’minlove with you. I’ve nevernotloved you,” she said, raining kisses over his cheeks.
He wrapped her legs around his waist and held her tight as he kicked her phone back into the house, then slammed and locked the door.
“Say it again,” he commanded. His heart was going to explode out of his chest.
She cupped his face in her icy hands.
