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He faced her, waited, hoping the space he offered her this time could be his saving grace.
…
Autumn’s chest felt like it would explode, and her eyes burned. She’d come here to tell him goodbye. But now he had more to tell her in return.
“I want you, Autumn.” He looked at her face and for the first time ever, she felt truly seen. “I’m choosing you. Over the past, over my own issues, all of it. I want you. Right now, and forever.”
Could she believe him? Her first instinct was to run before he could hurt her even more deeply, but something in his eyes made her pause. A spark of what had drawn her to him the night they met.
In the end, she couldn’t leave without a word. Couldn’t be that woman.
Because she loved him. No matter how he felt about her.
But now, staring down a half empty closet and dresser, she didn’t know what to say. The last time she’d been there, everything had been his. Felt like his. But now he was making space for her. And for the first time, Autumn and her small bag felt like they fit.
“You’re a pain in the ass, honey,” he said. “And I love you. I want to be with you all the time. I want to be a place you can count on. A place you can unpack and stay a while. A place you can call home.”
Her chin trembled. “I was never meant to stay here. We both know that. And you’re temporary. You said you don’t do long-term. You don’t even have a roommate, much less a woman around, and if we don’t last—”
“Honey, we work so well that it’s scary. Meant to stay or not doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and this is where you belong.” He glanced down. “But if you really hate it, if you want to go to LA, I won’t stop you. But you can bet your ass I’ll chase you.”
“You have a life here,” she whispered.
“Yeah, but my life is better with you in it. You call me on my shit, and I remind you how amazingly hot and stubborn you are. I want you. I’ve said that from night one, and I meant it. I just need to know if you want me back.”
Autumn let go of all the ugly hurt that had been holding her back. Let go of everyone that had never come through for her. Let go of every time she was ditched, left, and alone.
Huck Galvin was her home now. Wanted to be. Because he wanted her. Had chosen her.
“I want you so much,” she said. “So much that it’s terrifying.”
He nodded and cupped her face. “I know, honey. But I’m not letting you get away. Understand?”
She nodded. “Promise?”
He smiled. “Promise.”
“Huck,” she whispered, her mouth hovering over his. “I kind of love you.”
He smiled and took her lips. “Stubborn woman.”
She melted into his kiss as he wrapped her up in his strong arms. “Okay, I really love you,” she admitted.
“That’s better,” he said with a smile. With that, she kissed him and clung tight to the one man that was her world. Her home. Her everything.
Epilogue
“Honey, I’m home,” Huck called and tossed his keys on the little decorative table by the door. His two-bedroom home that had once looked like a bachelor pad now had color and life. Though Autumn liked her leather, she also loved the color green. She said it was his fault for having the most amazing eyes. By the time she was done, she’d repainted the house in warm tones with green accents throughout.
She was the color in his life. And he couldn’t be happier.
It had been three months since he’d kept her from leaving and she’d moved in.
He’d planned on waiting at least a month, just to give her a chance to get settled in, but the first night she’d slept with him in his home—in their home—he’d caved, shown her the ring, and asked her to be his wife.
Being the stubborn woman she was, she kept saying, “Maybe.” But all that did was get his blood going, and after hours of sex with her screaming yes, he realized she was playing the best game he could ever want. A game of forever.
“Hey,” she said as she walked out of the bedroom to meet him.
