I cut him off and poke him in the chest. “Not that you should have been eavesdropping on my girls’ night, but if you’d bothered to stick around and hear the rest of what I said, you’d know the truth.” Tears of anger fill my eyes and I swipe at them in frustration.
“Which is?”
“That youaredifferent. You’re contemplative and thoughtful and observant. You’re honest and fair and you care about people. You're different from any man I've ever dated, and I meant it as thebestthing I could say about you. You’re…” My heart is racing and I trail off.
He takes a step closer. “I’m what?”
“You’re the person I’m in love with, you idiot!” I sniffle. “Not that it matters, since I’m just a human, whatever that means.”
He stares at me for several beats.
I stare back, chest heaving as I fight back tears.
“Well, fuck,” he mutters. He puts his arms on my shoulders and envelops us in his wings, creating a cocoon. A world that’s just the two of us. “You’re in love with me?”
“Yes. I wanted to tell you that night, but you never texted me back.”
He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “As usual, you’re right.”
“I know.” I nod. “About what, exactly?”
He looks down at me, his red eyes soft. “I’m a fucking idiot.”
“Oh. Yes.”
“I’m so sorry. I keep doing this to you. Hurting your feelings by retreating instead of talking. Can you forgive me?”
He wraps his wings tighter, and I can’t help it. Even through my anger, it makes me feel safe. “I’d like to. But if we’re going to be together, you have to use your words. Tell me whatyou’re feeling. Talk things through. Let me know when you need space instead of disappearing. And for the love of god, stop eavesdropping on me.”
He grins, nodding. “I can do that. Wanna know what I’m feeling right now?”
“That would be good.”
“I’m so relieved that you love me, because I’m in love with you too. I have been for months, and when I thought you didn’t want to be with me, it crushed me. I couldn’t bear to be around you, because my heart was breaking. I needed to find a way to respect what I thought was your decision, but still protect myself.”
“Oh,” I say meekly.
“Yeah. Oh.”
“We’re in love?”
One corner of his mouth tips up. “Madly. Wildly. Incredibly in love.” He leans down and kisses me softly, but with intensity.
When he steps back, folding his wings behind him, he asks, “Will you let me make it up to you?”
I shake my head and he looks distressed, but I smile and grab his hand. “Earlier, when you said we couldn’t talk? I realized that’s the first time you’ve ever told me no. That’s when I figured out two things: one, something was definitely wrong between us, and two, you really cared about me and had been going out of your way to make me happy. You don’t have to make things up to me. Let’s just do better going forward.”
“Deal.” He grabs me by my waist and spins me around, making the glow from the twinkle lights blur in my vision. Pressing me against the bookshelf, his mouth closes over mine.
Relief and pleasure twine through me.
This. This is right. Spenser and me, kissing in this wonderful store.
I climb him like a vine, hands going around his neck and legs around his waist, kissing him back hard. He catches me with ease, grinding against me, letting me feel how much he wants me.
Almost as much as I want him.
He groans and somehow manages to slide a hand under my shirt, the press of his skin hot against mine.
