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He smiled, but his expression quickly turned serious. “I came to the hospital to see if we had a future together, and you cut me off at the knees with a brush off I’d used myself a time or two. I cut my losses and got the hell out of there.”
The blunt statement revealed so much. Halli drew in a shaky breath. “I hurt you.”
“Yes.”
One step closer and he cradled her hands in his against his chest. He looked into her eyes with such intensity she feared he saw right into her soul. Beneath her hand, his heart beat out an irregular rhythm.
“I know what’s in my heart, Halli, and it’s very real to me. The million dollar question is…what’s in yours?”
This should be easier. Why was she so darn nervous? “I was going to come see you.”
“Why didn’t you?”
His frown told her he assumed the worst. She smiled. “Because, I’d only decided about five minutes ago.”
His gaze narrowed. “When I pulled up?”
“Seconds before. As usual, your timing is impeccable.”
His hold tightened. “Why now?”
“What you really mean is why not two weeks ago in Italy.”
“No…what I really mean is, why’d you push me away in Italy?”
“I was scared.” Halli stilled. She hadn’t meant to say that. She was supposed to have had time to plan this conversation. Rehearse her words so they came out just right instead of raw emotion. But now that she’d started, she took a deep breath and plunged forward. “To be completely honest, I’m still scared.”
“Why?”
“Well, my parents for one. I mean, they’re in prison.”
“I couldn’t care less about them. You are not your parents.”
His instant and complete dismissal of that issue left her scrambling.
“Then there’s the fact that things like this only happen in the movies.”
“And sometimes it happens in real life.” His fingers squeezed hers. “Believe me, this is much better.”
She tried to smile, but the fear choked her next words to a whisper. “But I’m still just me. Wisconsin Halli. Boring Halli. What happens when you get bored?”
“I told you, you could never bore me.”
“But our entire time together—”
He reached up to cup her face in his hands. “I didn’t fall in love with ‘Italy Halli’. I fell in love with you. Strong, beautiful, pain-in-the-ass you, with your determination to find your family, your sheer guts for sticking with me through all the craziness, your courage and—”
Halli reached to lay her fingers against his lips. Happy tears welled as she finally released the last of her doubt. It floated into the air and evaporated in the warm rays of the late afternoon sun.
“Say that again.”
Trent detained her retreating hand, turned it to press his mouth to her palm. The emotion in his eyes held her equally captive.
“I love you, Halli. Whether you believe it or not, it’s true. And if I have to spend the rest of my life proving it to you, I’d like to start today.”
She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. “How about right now?”
Wordlessly, he slid one hand through her hair, tilting her head for his kiss. It was different than any other they’d shared, yet it brought her home in a way she’d never imagined possible. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the passion in her heart. Then she leaned her forehead against his.
