The conversation with my parents is almost harder than when Rich gave me the news. Having to relay it all to them over the phone, and hearing them fracture as I explained it to them is gut-wrenching.
We talked about flying to Texas so that we could be there with them, but I was exhausted and didn’t want to risk the news leaking before we could get there.
After everything, I just want to be home with Delilah. Not here, in the city that’s taken so much from me already. I’m fighting heavy lids when Delilah comes out of the bathroom. It’s late, well after midnight, and I’m crashing hard from the emotional toll and adrenaline.
She looks like a fucking angel as she crosses the room and slides into bed next to me. Her long blonde hair is braided to the side, and she’s drowning in one of my shirts. The slumped set of her shoulders tells me she’s just as worn out as I am, but she’s never looked more beautiful.
When she slides into the bed next to me, I don’t waste any time grabbing her waist and hauling her flush against my body. I’ve spent so long waiting. Waiting for answers, waiting for Delilah to be ready for something more with me. I can’t wait anymore. I clamp my lips shut before the words can just spill out of me.
Delilah deserves more than a rush declaration of my feelings for her. And if I don’t slow down and compose myself for a minute here, that’s what she’s going to get. My mind is screaming at me to tell her how I feel, but I don’t want to leave any doubts that I mean every word, and it’s not just the emotions of the day spilling over.
“Hey,” she says, kissing my bare chest before she looks up at me with admiration. “How are you doing?”
I chuckle because it’s a loaded question. My feelings are all over the place. I haven’t processed Miller’s involvement and the reason he did it. On the flip side, having answers, knowing that Jarrett didn’t do this to himself, brings me a measure of relief like I can finally move forward. Nothing will bring him back, nothing will erase the hurt, but having Delilah by my side dulls the sharpness of the pain and anger.
I sit up, pulling her with me so we are both leaning against the stacked pillows.
“Having you here with me made everything easier. I’m not going to lie and tell you I’m okay, but I know I will be because we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us.” I weave my fingers through hers, bringing it to my mouth to kiss her knuckles. I take a deep breath and let myself tell her exactly how I’m feeling. “Jarrett was my best friend and when I lost him, I never thought I would find anyone else that I would call my best friend, but then you walked into my life. Like you were sent from him to make sure I couldn’t lock myself in the darkness you made each day a little brighter.”
“That goes both ways, you know. After Brad, I tried to shut down, but you wouldn’t let me.” Delilah peers up at me, tilting her head closer to my chest. But I don’t let her bury her face.
“That’s because even then, I think I knew that someday you’d be mine. You weren’t ready, so I waited and now I can finally be the man you deserve.”
“Cruz, you’ve always been enough—” I place a finger on her lips, shaking her off. I want to get this out while I have the words and the composure to say them without fumbling over myself.
“You’re part of my past. You’ve been there in the darkness and the light. You’re my future, my world, my everything, Hermosa. Te amo, Mi Cielo.” She gasps, tears clinging to her lashes. My thumb swipes them away.
“I love you, Cruz. I’ve loved you broken, whole, and everywhere in-between. You’ve been the man I deserved since day one. Your grief doesn’t make me love you any less. If anything, it shows me how strong and loyal you are.”
My heart is hammering against my chest at hearing her say the words.Fuck, it feels fantastic to finally tell her how I feel.My brother’s smiling face pops into my head and I can’t help but think he would give me hell for waiting so long.
Suddenly feeling energized knowing she feels the same way, sleep is the furthest thing from my mind. “Come home with me tomorrow. Don’t go back to your place.” The words tumble out before I can stop them. I didn’t plan on asking her to move in, but I don’t regret it. Not even when she pulls back, looking at me like I’m crazy.
“What do you mean? I’m already flying home with you,” she says, looking adorable, like she doesn’t want to make the wrong assumption.
“You are, and I suppose you can go to your apartment to get your things. I’ll even come with and help you box them up. The All-Star Break starts soon, so even if I’m released to practice, I’ll have free time to help you move.”
“Move? You’re asking me to move in?” Her nose wrinkles as she asks, and I bring my finger up to smooth the lines out.
“We’ve waited so long to love each other like this. I don’t want to waste anymore time.” If I thought she’d let me, I’d propose tomorrow. But we’re going to need to ease into that.
“Waking up next to you every morning does sound pretty amazing. And I really enjoyed being there with you after you got hurt.” Her hands loop around the back of my neck, pulling my lips down to meet hers.
“Think of all the fun we can have. Fun in the shower, fun in the kitchen, fun on the couch—” Her hand wraps around where I’m hard.
“I like fun.” This time, her hand slips under my shorts, palming my length. “Maybe you should show me some of that fun now and make sure I know just how much you love me.”
“I don’t know. You still didn’t answer my question. Move in with me. Don’t make me wait any longer to start the rest of my life with you.” I grip her ass and rock against her.
“Yes,” she moans in response.
“Yes, you’ll move in. Or yes, you like that?” I lower my head to her collarbone and nip the exposed skin there.
“Both. I’ll move in with you as long as you don’t stop.” She sucks in a shuddering breath as I strip my shirt over her head.
“I’ll never stop loving you, Hermosa.” I roll on top of her, diving forward to capture her mouth in a hard kiss. I spend the next hour loving her before we are both exhausted.
The next morning, I wake up to Delilah curled around my body and I know this is exactly where I was meant to end up. Here with her, after everything that I’ve been through, she’s my own, personal, slice of heaven.
