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“It matters,” he said around my digit, his warm breath shooting shivers down my arm.
“It matters to me. I hate that she took something from us… from you. I know how lucky I am that you chose me to trust with all your firsts, Lily.”
My expression softened. How could it not when he was on his knees before me saying such things?
“How am I ever going to walk back into school, Kaiden? I have spent so long hiding, avoiding the spotlight… and now it’s shining right on me.”
He leaned closer, resting his hands on the bed on either side of my thighs. His eyes closed as he inhaled a shuddering breath. “Let me be your shield,” he said, fixing his steel gaze right on me. “Let me hold you up when you fall, Lily. Let me love you.”
A soft gasp escaped my lips.
“W-what did you say?”
“You heard me.” His mouth curved.
“Can you say it again? Just so I can be sure I heard it right?”
Erasing the final sliver of space between us, Kaiden let his mouth ghost over mine. “I love you, Lily Ford. I am hopelessly, desperately in love with you.”
“You love me?” My lips brushed his as the words formed.
“I do. I think I have for a while. I was just too chickenshit to say it. I will never regret anything more than I do about what happened last night. It shouldn’t have gone down like that. But how can I ever forget it, when it was the night the girl I love chose me? Fought for me.” His hand glided up the side of my throat, gently holding me. “It’s you and me, Lily. Nothing else matters.”
“I’m scared, Kaiden.” I confessed, feeling the weight of my words slide between us.
“You don’t need to be.” He cupped the back of my neck, kissing me but not nearly enough. “I’ll always protect you, Lily. I’ll pick you up when you fall, carry you when things seem too hard. I’ll always be there, I promise.”
“You can kiss me now,” I whispered, letting his love cocoon me like a warm blanket.
He loved me.
Kaiden loved me.
And while I knew he couldn’t fix me; he could stand by my side. He could be my person.
“I love you,” I breathed the words against his lips.
And this time…
He said them right back.
* * *
“You guys are so freaking cute,”Sofia said as we all sat around in Aaron’s den. It had been Poppy’s idea. She thought it would do me good to get out of the house, be around people after last night.
People who wouldn’t point and snicker.
And she was right.
Our friends hadn’t uttered a word about the video, acting as if they’d never even seen it. Even though they had.
Kaiden dropped a kiss on my head before scooting me off his lap. “It’s my turn.” He motioned over to where Bryan stood at the pool table.
“Okay. Good luck.” I snagged his sweater, kissing him on the cheek.
Someone let out a dreamy sigh, and heat creeped into my cheeks as I watched Kaiden walk over to the pool table.
“Major swoon alert,” Sofia said.
