Page 157 of I Never Stopped Loving You

“I didn’t say anything,” I say sharply as I turn my head away, but he grips my chin gently to turn my attention back to him.

“You didn’t have to, Willow. I can see it in your eyes. The way your nose crinkles when you get upset. I see you.”

Fuck.

I glance down at my chest and the handprints of blood smeared across my body. More blood is covering my lower stomach and between my thighs.

“Are you okay?” he asks softly.

“Yeah, why?”

“I remember the time you cut your wrist on the playground. You’ve never been okay with the sight of blood. Sorry.”

“This…” I think back to my childhood, but whatever specific memory he’s talking about isn’t coming to mind. “This doesn’t bother me.”

“Did you enjoy this?” he asks as he begins to slowly wipe the blood off with another scrap of fabric from the glovebox.

I can feel my cheeks blushing as I close my eyes and rest my head back down on the seat. I don’t want to admit it, not even to myself, but this was the hottest thing that I’ve ever done.

“Yes,” I finally whisper.

“Me too.”

We sit in silence as he finishes wiping off as much blood as he can from my skin before zipping up his jacket that I’m wearing.

“Come on, beautiful. Let’s go home.”

The last few hours have been a whirlwind of emotions. Honestly, this entire last week has been insane, ever since I laid eyes on him.

He not only turned my world upside down, but he also shattered the wall separating me from my past. When I saw that photo, I knew it was him. So much came rushing back, and the emotions overwhelmed me.

I could see them. The moments that would linger at the edge of my memory just out of reach.

When we were kids we ran up and down the road together. He would stop at each new section of ditch that had tons of lilies growing in it, he’d only pick one from each so that there would always be some for the next day. He was the other shadow in that memory.

I can remember how he would protect me at school. He’d also sneak up to my room some nights, and we’d sit on the rooftop watching the stars.

“Noah?”

I finally break the silence we’ve been driving in for the last half an hour. Our hands are intertwined on my lap as I sit curled up next to him. He didn’t bother putting the center console back down.

“Yes, Little Rabbit?”

He squeezes my hand before leaning over and placing a kiss against my temple.

“Are you sure about this? About us? You’re only just now meeting me. What if you get to know me more and you don’t like who I’ve become?”

The sound of my voice is pathetic. I’ve never let myself sound weak in front of anyone except my therapist, Jenna, and now Noah.

He glances at me again, but I keep my eyes focused out the front window. I don’t want him to see how vulnerable I am right now. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. The feelings I have for this man are honestly insane to me, but it’s true…I think I’m in love with him.

The car suddenly jerks to the right as he pulls over on the shoulder. He turns his body toward me and holds my face with both hands forcing me to look at him.

“Willow. I have loved you from the moment we met. There hasn’t been a single fucking day that I haven’t thought about you. That I haven’t thought about our future since I had you back. Is it crazy? Yeah, probably. But I don’t fucking care. I love you. I’m never going to stop loving you. Do you understand me?”

“But…”

“No. No buts, Willow. There will never be but anything. I. Love. You. I never stopped loving you.”