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He chuckled. “It’s not that. I love you, too.”
Ally tried to tamp down her joy. In case there was a but. “You don’t have to say it because I did.”
“For weeks I’ve been trying my best not to say it. I didn’t want to pressure you into more of a relationship than you wanted to have.”
“But you said you wanted something casual.”
“I knew almost immediately that I wanted more than that. But I was afraid…”
“Afraid of what?”
“Of smothering you or going too fast. I know you don’t like age to be an issue, but the fact is that it is an issue for me. I’m not saying it’s one I can’t deal with, but I’m still a little afraid of it, that you’re too young to know what you want. But I know what I want.”
“What is it that you want, exactly? Let’s clarify that.”
His gaze skittered away for a second before landing right back on her, and the intensity in those many-shades-of-green eyes turned her legs to jelly. Because Papa was right about this, about the way he looked at her. How could she have not seen it before? She realized Tag was pretty good at hiding his feelings, too.
“Everything. Ally. I want everything. With you. But I don’t think it’s fair to ask you for this possibility when you’re only twenty-two.”
“Hmm.” Ally gave him her best bland stare.
He puffed out an impatient breath. “Say something. It kills me when you do this.”
“Well…” she drawled and purposely paused for way too long. Although this was partially because she was fighting her lips to keep them from twitching. She didn’t want to laugh. Yet. “I want some stuff, too.”
“What?”
“A lot of things.”
“Like?” he asked impatiently.
“A baby. With green eyes and golden specks.”
At that moment, Ally truly understood what Ginger had been talking about. She wished with all of her being that she could capture this moment, because although Tag was standing there, still and calm, there was nothing but pure joy and relief shining in his eyes. And love. She could see that, too, and her insides were like warm honey oozing into all the cold, dark places that their days of separation had wrought.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and a little flat, and she loved that he was trying to imitate her. “Brown,” he countered. “I want a baby girl with dark, dark brown eyes.”
“Fine,” she said, and her heart felt both light and full, and she thought it might break loose from her rib cage and float away. “Let’s have both.”
In two steps he closed the distance between them, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her so that their faces were only inches apart. “Ally, are you sure? I’m almost forty, and I don’t want to wait long to start a family.”
A family. How she wanted one of her own, and she wanted to be a part of his large and loving extended family, too. “Then you better figure out a way to make me your real wife soon. No more pretending.”
“No more pretending,” he repeated, and she knew he knew that she meant that in all the ways that had caused them to hurt each other.
With a sharp inhale, he buried his face in her neck before lowering her back down. His lips found hers and Ally wouldn’t have believed kissing him could be better than before. But this love thing proved her wrong. This had to be why people wanted to say it. That would teach her to try and contain it. Maybe it would teach them both.
When he pulled away, they were both out of breath. Cupping a hand around her jaw, he caressed her cheekbone with his thumb. “I know I’m older and dated more and whatever, but I want you to know that none of it matters. I feel like I was just stumbling around in the dark before I met you. I’ve never been in love before, either. It’s like I’ve been waiting my entire life for you, only I didn’t know it until I found you.”
“Tag…”
“And, in light of Shay’s struggles, I want you to know that even if we never have kids, that won’t change. I know in my heart, Ally, that I will love you, and only you, forever. I want you more than I want anything. All the things I thought were important in my life before I met you pale in comparison. My business, the senate—obviously—even my family and friends. Of course, I love them, too. But from now on, I promise you, you’re first. You’re all I need to be happy. My love for you is so…intense I can barely think straight sometimes.” He lifted his hands from her shoulders and slipped one around the back of her neck. The other he kept on her shoulder. One side of his mouth curled up, and he asked, “Are you scared yet?”
