Page 118 of Maximus

Eva’s eyes widened. She gave a choked gasp before she stopped breathing altogether.

“Take a breath, honey.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

How was I supposed to answer that? Admit I was too much of a coward to say it first? Tell her I’d never in my whole life said those words to anyone—not even to Pam and I’d asked her to marry me? Confess that I was a chicken-shit and if she didn’t return the feeling, it would crush me?

Yeah, no. I wasn’t telling her any of that.

“I was worried it was too soon.” I settled on something that didn’t make me sound like a total tool.

“That’s why I didn’t say it. I was afraid you weren’t ready to hear it and you’d run a mile.”

“I’m not gonna run a mile and I’m ready to hear it. Hell, I’ve been ready.”

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, even though Eva moved quickly. She scrambled to sit astride me, her hands going to my face, capturing not only my eyes but my soul.

“I love you, Maximus Brown.”

Fuck.

My eyes closed as I soaked in the words.

“Say it again.”

“I love you.”

Christ, fucking hell. The sweetest pain sliced through me, a thousand tiny blades pierced my heart. In the space of a few seconds, Eva had decimated me only to put me back together.

Reborn.

“Never heard those words,” I choked.

“How is that possible?” My eyes snapped open at the anguish I heard.

No pity, only disbelief.

“I think you understand how I grew up,” I reminded her. “When your father’s an abusive drunk and your mother’s cowed and more worried about fending off her next beating than about protecting her child, there’s not much time for hugs, kisses, and declarations of love. My aunt and uncle didn’t love me nor did they pretend to.”

“But Pam… You asked—”

“Babe, it kills me to admit this, because I’m gonna sound like a prick. I didn’t love her. I knew it then and never lied and said the words. Neither did she. I asked her to marry me because I was scared of losing the only thing that was familiar.”

“I hate that for you.”

“Can’t change the past.”

“Nope, we can’t.” The heaviness of our exchange lifted and back was Eva’s bright smile. Her tiny hands grasped my face and she leaned forward, smacking her lips against mine in a playful kiss that had my heart thundering. “But we have the future.”

“That we do.” I returned her smile because there was no way I couldn’t. It was infectious—a beacon of hope I wanted to get lost in.

“One last thing before I show you how much it means to me that you love me.”

“Show me?” Her lips twitched and she wiggled her ass on my already semi-hard cock.

“Yeah, honey, show you. And fair warning, you’re gonna be boneless when I’m done, so I’m gonna need to carry you out of here.”

I flexed my ass, pushing my hard-on against her center, cursing the layers of clothes between us.