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“I love you and I don’t want to live without you. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not years from now.” He steps around the table, taking my hands in his. “When you asked me on that porch if I wanted to be with you, the answer was an overwhelming yes. I wanted to be with you more than I had ever wanted anything else in my entire life. But I was also terrified. Terrified that if I opened myself up to you in the way that I so desperately wanted to, that you would eventually leave. And I didn’t think I could survive something like that.”
“I would never leave you.”
“You can’t know that. One day you might. But to me, loving you now is worth the risk of possibly losing you later.”
“What are you saying, Atlas?”
“I’m saying I want you to ask me again. What you asked me on the porch. Ask me again.”
I stand there speechless for a long moment, my mind desperately trying to process everything that’s been thrown at it over the last couple of minutes.
I could hold onto the hurt and anger, make him beg me for a second chance, but I don’t see the point when I know it won’t change a single thing.
I love him, too. Plain and simple.
“Do you want to be with me?” I ask, my chin quivering softly as I do.
“Yes.” Within seconds I’m in his arms, his hands cupping my face. “Yes. Yes. Yes.” He smiles down at me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I watch his eyes glaze over, feel the tremble of his hand as it slides around the back of my neck, and when his lips close over mine, I know without a doubt that he meant every word he just said.
I don’t know what changed his mind. I don’t know where he’s been the last few days or what he and Brennon talked about, or what role either of those played in him reaching this conclusion, but I’m sure I’ll find out. Right now I just want to lose myself in his touch, in his kiss, in all that he is.
My force of gravity.
Even when I pretended to hate him, I always knew he was the person who tethered me to this world. The one thing that I would always hold on to. And hold onto him is exactly what I plan to do. And this time, I’m never letting go.
