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She stared up at me with wide eyes. “See what?”
I stepped closer. “That you can run, but I’m always going to come after you.”
“Wh-what?”
“That you can push me away, but I’m still going to always want you.”
“Joel,” she whispered.
“That I’ve dreamed of you, wanted you,likedyou for so damned long I can’t think of a moment over the last years where you haven’t shaded every thought.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“I knew it was you that first morning and Iwasdisgusted—”
She flinched, but I powered on.
She had to know, had to understand.
“Atmyself, Rosie baby. Because I’d gotten drunk and couldn’t remember everything we’d done and that’s not me, not the way I treat women.” I brushed my knuckles along her cheek. “And I never wanted to be in a position to make you feel uncomfortable or to hurt you or to make it bad for you or—”
A tear slid from the corner of her eye. “Honey,” she whispered.
She had to know.
Hadto know.
“You are fuckingperfect, baby. Perfect for me. Perfect for my life. I couldn’t forget you years ago, and I can’t forget you now.”
“Because you want me,” she murmured.
“Yes.”
“You likeallof me.”
I nodded. “Yes, baby.”
“I…” She bit her lip again. “I’m not sure I believe that right now.”
“That’s okay,” I told her. “We have time.”
Her bottom lip trembled, and I watched as what I was saying finally sank in and her face changed, going soft, her body relaxing against mine. She’d was processing and it wasn’t all there yet, but we were making progress and she at leastheardwhat I was telling her.
This woman.
Layers upon layers.
I wanted to peel them away, memorize every detail as they were revealed.
I wanted to know everyone who had hurt her, wanted to understand why what I was telling her was so hard for her to believe.
But even if Icouldunderstand why she didn’t believe me, and even if I kept telling her what I felt, she wasn’t going to believe it.
Not right then.
Not just with words.
She needed time.
