AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re making me hope.”
That stopped him short.
“What?”
Yearning coated his expression and pulled at hers. There was so much of it inside her that she knew it would kill her if she found out that he had been kidding all along—and that stressed her out. Her words came out agitated, but they glittered with a raw honesty that she couldn’t stop even if she tried. “You’re making me hope. That you’re saying this because it’s real, and not just because it’s convenient to go against your brother—and Idon’thope. I don’t romanticize things and I sure as hell don’t commit, but you saying things like that makes me want to—”
“To what?”
Her mouth snapped shut and she backed a step, then another. Panic awakened. But it was too late as he already saw too much. He followed her until there was a wall behind her and she stopped moving. Gently, as if not wanting to scare her away, he tilted her chin.
“Commit to me, Pearl,” he asked softly. “I promise to commit back, and that we will make this work.”
Her heart dropped in her stomach, then soared high with a speed that left her dazed. Doubt seeped in.
“What if it doesn’t?”
“You’re Pearl. I’m Henry,” was his prompt response. “One thing we’re brilliant at is taking things to the end no matter what, so this is a piece of cake for us.”
Oh, this man. She made a sound, unable to tear her gaze off him. “You’re serious.”
He nodded. “As all hell.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re serious enough to curse. Oh, my. Oh, gosh. Your family would hate this, Henry.”
He stiffened a little, clearly not liking that that was a part of her thought process. That couldn’t be helped, either, considering they had always been a part ofhisthought process until recent events and discoveries. But Henry’s answer was firm, leaving no room for doubt in that department.
“It’s my choice, not theirs. Either they respect the union or they leave it alone. I’m not giving them any other choice in the matter.”
“I didn’t agree to a marriage yet,” she huffed, still resisting. Still being stubborn.
His lips quirked. “You’re right. We’re still at the commitment part.”
“Besides, you can’t just talk about things like that when you haven’t even told me how you feel.”
“Is that all? Okay, then.” He waited until her eyes landed on his and held. It felt like being swallowed whole by how intense they were. “I like you, Pearl. I care about your well-being, and that extends to your siblings and your friends. I’m also very attracted to you if that’s still not clear from how easily I surrender to your wonderful mouth and hands. You might dismiss it as sex, but I know it’s not just sex because I also like everything else about you. That includes your fire, your sass, and the way you handle things. Your flirting makes me smile and your courage makes me want to be a better person.”
Every word hit her like a punch, but it was one filled with magic and wonder. Her pulse sped up and her entire body felt engulfed.
“Henry…”
“I was wrong about you, Pearl, from the very beginning, because I was blind. And that’s my fault. But I’m no longer blind and I want to explore what we have, including these feelings that you inspire inside me.”
Her mouth opened, then closed. She read his nerves, still braced for her rejection—but it hadn’t mattered to him as he essentially bared his heart and soul to her, risking it all.
“That’s…a lot to process, Henry,” she said slowly, more so to steady herself.
“I know. Take your time to process it.”
Without another word, he pushed himself from her space and visibly willed himself to give her that time. But her small, determined hands clutched his shirt and hauled him back, adding a little extra zing of energy to the movement. He slapped a hand against the wall and grunted, nearly flattening her in surprise. But now his body was brushing hers and it felt home—him as her home, the one thing she never expected in this lifetime.
“I have feelings too,” she finally confessed, her heart beating wild and fast. “They are scaring the hell out of me, but I can’t let you be brave alone.”
“That’s good to know.”
There was still a lot of defensiveness to her tone, but she could tell that he read the quiet longing underneath it. He leaned in, breathing her scent, and he shuddered when she did the same. Her body softened and her entire being warmed, making it easier to say the rest.
“I like you, Henry, is what I’m trying to say. And I don’t know what to do with this knowledge.”
