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“How’s that for making some noise for the girl I love?”
“I felt it everywhere,” I sniffle.
His smile is cut in half by his apology. “I’m so sorry, Laney. It wasn’t you I didn’t trust. I need you to forgive me. I’m losing my fucking mind without you. And I’ll never hurt you like that again. Ever.”
“I’ll forgive you anything. I’m so sorry I ever made you doubt how I felt about you. I love you, too, Theo, so much.”
“I know you do. I felt it every single day we were together.”
I nod, and he kisses the rest of my tears away.
“So, you forgave him?” I pop my chin toward Troy’s retreating truck.
“I misjudged him and he kind of owed me. He’s trying to get his shit together.” I nod, sensing there’s a lot more to that story, but I really don’t want to talk about Troy. Not now, not ever.
“That was…that was incredible. You sure set a high bar.”
His smile is perfection as he eyes me, seeming to memorize my reaction to him. “Well, I hope you don’t expect something that insane every time I screw up.”
“Of course, I do.”
He kisses my temple, my cheek, and pulls me tightly to him.
“I missed you so much.”
“Same.”
We stand there a mess, the new heat of the day bearing down on us as we cling to the other.
“Don’t shut me out like that ever again. I almost cut my hair and agreed to therapy.”
He chuckles. “I’m glad you spared your hair, but you could probably use the therapy.”
I slap his chest, and he pulls me tighter.
“You never told me you met Jim.”
He pulls back, his hands on my shoulders and frowns. “I didn’t want to upset you. How did you find out?”
“He popped up at my graduation right before I saw you.”
He weighs my expression. “Any hope there?”
“No,” I deflate a little with my sigh, “I don’t want to know him, and I told him as much. ‘Sides it doesn’t matter, I’ve got all the man I can handle right here.”
“I love you,” he whispers softly before claiming my mouth in a thirsty kiss. Wrapping my arms around him, I sink into the buzz, revel in the familiar zing in my chest, the warmth. When we pull away breathless, the excitement leaves me in a rush as I realize the clock is ticking.
“I’m supposed to leave tomorrow night.”
He swallows thickly, brushing the loose hair away from my face. “And I want you to go.”
“What?”
“It’s a few months, a summer, Laney. Go, come back. We’ll work it out. I’ll be here.”
“You’ll wait for me?”
“I waited for the wrong girl for years. I think I can handle waiting a few months for the right one.”
