new information.”
Her scowl comes back and she pinches my cheek. “Then why do you keep backing off? Every
time we’re…you know, about to park the car in the garage,” she lets go of my cheek to make the
universal fucking gesture, thrusting one finger into the circle made by her other fingers, “you back
off.”
How can I laugh this hard and be this turned on at the same time? “Park the car. Jesus, Maya.” I
tip my head back and suck in a breath, trying to get both my laughter and my dick under control.
Finally, I think I have it. “I didn’t want to fuck this up. I had this idea that because you’re
inexperienced, we should take things slowly.”
“Why?” There’s a hint of hurt in her tone, and beneath that hurt, embarrassment.
All traces of my smile die, and I risk loosening my grip on her hips so I can thread my hands
through her hair. “Because you matter. This matters. More than anything ever has.” I shift my gaze to
her forehead and force out the rest. “I’ve never had sex with someone I love, Maya. And I’m terrified
I’ll fuck it up.” It’s such an overused word, love. But it matters, and keeping it in has been torture. I
want her to know. I want everyone to know. But I’m pretty sure I would feel less exposed walking
naked in the middle of downtown.
Her soft gasp and whispered, “Zach,” run over my skin. Her hands come to rest on the sides of my
neck. “Look at me.”
I do, because I was serious. Anything this woman wants, I’ll give her. Even if what she wants is
to see the embarrassment swimming in my eyes. But thank god I do. My discomfort washes away at
the wonder in her face.
“You…you love me?”
“Yeah, I do. I have for a while.” She looks like a kid on Christmas morning, my words landing
like gifts around her, each one lighting her up brighter and brighter. “You’re the light in my life, Maya.
I want all your days. All your nights. I want the privilege of holding your hand when you’re ninety,
and I want to lie beside you every night.”
“Oh,” she says softly, a tear falling down her cheek. I catch it, letting it hang on my fingertip
before wiping it away. “Did…do you know I love you?” she asks hesitantly.
You know that feeling you get? When you set down a really heavy weight and almost feel like you
could float away? That’s how I feel right now. “I didn’t know that. I hoped, but I wasn’t sure.”
