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“My mom loves you.” I look up into those incredible hazel eyes and wonder how on earth I ever got so lucky.
Another whoosh of uncertainty sweeps through me. The kind of uncertainty I feel anytime I let myself think too long on how or why Sebastian chose me. I push it down, refusing to let my own insecurities ruin this perfect night.
“She’s amazing.” He grins down at me, rubbing the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip. “She’s everything I wish my own mother was.”
“I’m sorry.” I don’t know what else to say.
Iamsorry. Sorry that he doesn’t know the true love of a parent. Sorry that he was born to people who don’t deserve a son like him. Sorry that he’s missed out on the kind of love my mother shows me every single day.
“Don’t be. I’ll just borrow your mom.” He kisses me gently, his touch like fire to my chilled skin.
“I think I’d be willing to share, under one condition of course,” I tease, pulling back to look up at him.
“Name it.”
“You have to promise not to break my heart.”
I don’t mean to say it. The words sort of just tumble out, my heart speaking rather than my mind. I try to formulate words to cover my blunder, but my brain can’t seem to conjure anything up quickly enough.
“That’s one promise I’m confident I can keep.” He grins, his reaction calm and understanding. “I’m all the way in with you, Tess. A hundred percent. You’re all I care about, you have to know that. I would never—I will never, intentionally hurt you, ever.”
“I’m all the way in with you too, you know?” The look he gives me has my knees feeling like they might give out under my weight.
“Tess,” he breathes, dropping his forehead to mine, his hands resting on each side of my neck. “Fuck, I love you.”
My entire body freezes at his words.
How is it possible that he just expressed the exact emotion I had settled on just earlier this evening? Certain I heard him wrong, I stare blankly into his eyes waiting for some indication that I’m not hearing things.
“Did you hear me, Tess?” He pulls back, his hands sliding up to cup my cheeks. “I’m in love with you.”
Tears instantly fill my eyes, and I struggle to form words. This moment couldn’t be more beautiful, and here I go ruining it because I can’t seem to get my brain to work.
“You do?” It takes me a second to realize it’s my voice that extends between us.
“I do.” He smiles, his gaze holding mine intently.
Closing my eyes, I take a moment to compose myself before opening them again. His bright hazels are still locked on mine, something in them I’m convinced I’ve never seen before.
“I love you too, Sebastian,” I finally manage to push out, not missing the relief that floods his face when I do.
It didn’t dawn on me that he’d been waiting for a response.
Seconds later his mouth is closing down on mine, and it’s not lost on me that this kiss feels different—more passionate, more intimate—than any kiss we’ve shared up until this moment.
It’s like he’s trying to prove to me with his kiss that his love is real, and I’m reassuring him with mine that I already know. I know he loves me. In some weird way, I think I’ve known it for quite some time. The way he looks at me is unlike any other person has ever looked at me before—like I’m his world.
It’s both incredible and overwhelming, but it’s something I wouldn’t give back for anything in the entire world.
I love this man, and he loves me.
I can’t imagine life gets any better than this.
***
“Wait, so tell me again how he said it.” Courtney’s sitting on top of my bed, legs crossed in front of herself while Bree lounges next her.
“I’ve already told you like five times.” I plop down on the foot of my bed and let out an audible sigh.
