Page 88 of Devoured

"I don't like that phrase. It makes it sound like we're doomed."

For some reason I thought about Isabella. I swallowed down the lump in my throat. The divorce would be behind me soon enough. Max was a professional. He’d get me the leverage I needed. "I think we've already been through the hardest things."

"I hope so."

I lowered my eyebrows as I stared at her. Was there something else bothering her? "So really, the question is why did you choose me?"

"You're joking, right?"

"I'm curious." I wanted to know why she wanted someone with tons of baggage instead of someone her own age. Although, if Tyler was her only option who was closer to her age, I didn’t have much competition.

"It seems as though you have plenty of self-confidence."

"Is that one of the things you like?"

"Yes. I like that you always seem so sure of what you want. Even if what you want scares you."

I put my other hand on top of hers, so that her hand was sandwiched between mine. I wanted her to keep going. The only person I ever heard analyze me was Dr. Clark. I’d much rather hear Penny’s opinion.

"You know how good looking you are. You're classically tall, dark, and handsome. When I see you I get butterflies in my stomach. And when you touch me I get chills." She suddenly looked nervous. "I've never been so attracted to someone in my life.”

"That's how I feel about you."

She laughed.

"Penny. I do."

Her eyes locked with mine. I hoped she could see how sincere I was being.

"You're also dark and brooding and mysterious. But when you let me in, when I get to see glimpses of the real you, I fall harder and harder. Like the juice box thing."

"You like that my parents didn't let me drink apple juice out of a box?"

"No, I like that you told me that. You're cute."

I lowered my eyebrows again. "I'm not cute." What the hell kind of description of me was that?

"Yes you are. You're being adorable right now."

I couldn’t help but smile.Adorable? Really?That was even worse than cute.

"And I love that you're..." her voice trailed off and she looked down at our hands, "...domineering."

I laughed. Now that was a much better way to describe me. "You mean in bed?"

She shook her head. "Yes, in bed. But in everything else too. I'm indecisive. I'm so bad at choosing things."

"You chose me."

"I did. But you saw all the stupid stuff I did along the way," she said.

"Which was my fault."

"No. It was because I'm a mess."

I smiled at her.Me too, baby."Do you know what I am currently enjoying most of all?"

"About me?"

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