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“Everything is looking good,” the doctor says, removing my bandages and glancing down at the stitches in the center of my chest. “How are you feeling?”
“A little sore.”
“That’s to be expected. You’ll be getting your next dose of pain medicine here in a minute so that should help with any discomfort. We’ll have you rest for the next few days, and then we’ll get you up and moving around again.”
He writes something down in my chart and smiles one last time before he heads out of the room. Dillon is instantly back by my side, and I take her hand in mine.
“We need to talk,” I tell her, and she nods.
“We’ll give you two some privacy and go find us some food,” Aria says, and everyone stands, stretching as they head for the door.
Once we’re alone, Dillon sits back dow,n on the side of the bed.
“I was so worried about you. Kye called and I didn’t know what to think,” she says; tears start to spill from her pretty blue eyes.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I tell her, squeezing her hand.
She nods, and I wish that I could hold her.
“You wanted to talk?” She asks, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
“Yeah, I had this whole speech planned. I was going to come home last night with dinner and tell you, but then…” I trail off, motioning to my chest.
“Tell me now,” she says, and I nod.
“Dillon… I love you. I always have. The moment I saw you in high school, I knew we were meant to be. I wanted to tell you how I felt so many times, but the time just never seemed right. In high school, it was because I was stuck in a dead end. I had nothing to offer you, and I knew that I was leaving. Then the military and deployments got in the way. Now that’s all over, and I don’t want to wait any longer to make you mine.”
She’s crying again, and I wonder if I had something wrong.
“Gates,” she chokes out, and I frown.
“Baby, Dillon, please stop. I hate seeing you cry. I can’t stand your tears.”
“They’re happy tears,” she assures me, but that only makes me feel marginally better.
I reach up, trying to wipe away the tears that I can reach.
“I wanted to say the same thing. I love you, Gates. I have since high school. You always made me feel so beautiful and worthy, and safe. I’ve always wanted you. It’s why I waited to kiss someone or sleep with someone or go out on a date. No one ever measured up to you. No one ever made me feel the way that you do. It’s always been you.”
This time, I can’t stand not to have her in my arms. I reach for her, pulling her close and ignoring the pain in my chest. It’s worth it to be able to breathe in her sweet scent and feel her skin against mine.
“I love you. So much,” I whisper, and she nods.
“I love you too.”
“We’re getting married,” I tell her, and she laughs.
“Hell yeah, we are.”
I grin and tangle my fingers in her hair, tugging until her chin tilts up and I can reach her lips.
She kisses me back hard, and I can taste all the worry, exhaustion, relief, and love on her lips.
“Mine,” I whisper, and she nods.
“Only yours.”
The door opens, and our friends come in with trays of food. Anson winces when he sees that he is interrupting us, and I just smile. I’m in too good of a mood to be mad about anything right now.
