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“What?” Amelia chokes out, and I realize I said that last sentence out loud.
I sit back down next to her. “That’s why you don’t let people in?”
She looks down. “It’s a part.”
“Amelia.” I wrap my hand around hers. “Ames, look at me.” Her eyes lift to meet mine. I cup my hand around her cheek. “I’m so sorry he hurt you like that. It was a shitty thing to do, no matter what his age or the situation. I appreciate you telling me what happened. It helps me understand why you’re guarded. I don’t blame you for that. My words may not mean much to you, but I will never ever do that to you. Even if a romantic relationship didn’t work between us, we would still be a team. I will never abandon you or our child. I will reassure you of that as often as you need me to, and I’ll keep showing you with my actions, too.”
She stares at me for a moment, blinking a few times before looking down. I drop my hand from her cheek, letting it rest on her thigh instead.
“I’m sorry,” she breathes. “You’ve done nothing but show me you’ll be here for me, but it’s hard for me to trust. If my ex had been a bad guy, it wouldn’t have hurt so much. For so long, I could trust him—Idid.Only for that trust to have been misplaced. It makes it harder to believe you—or anyone else—won’t do the same thing. Are you—”
“What?”
“Are you sure you still want more with me, knowing all the baggage I have?” Uncertainty flashes in her eyes. She needs to be sure of my commitment to her.
“Do you hold my anxiety against me?” I ask, hoping I won’t regret it.
Her eyes flare and she grabs my hand. “No. Of course not.”
“Then why do you think I’d ever hold your past or your trauma against you? We all have our hardships. What matters is that we keep working through them.”
Her eyes roll over my face, begging for my words to be the truth. Something she sees must reassure her, because she leans up and presses a soft kiss to my lips.
“Your patience makes me feel safer.”
“Youmake me feel safer. Your hand around mine instantly calms my anxiety. You might not believe it yet, but we’re better together.”
“Maybe I’m starting to.”
I rest my forehead against hers. “Does that mean you want to see the rest of the apartment?”
She nods, her head rolling against mine. “Yes, please.”
I squeeze her hand and stand up, pulling her up with me. “Come on. We need to finish looking so we can get you home for lunch.”
She rolls her eyes but smiles. “Whatever you say. Lead the way, bossy man.”
A growl slips out at her words.
I’m going to be truly fucked if she doesn’t want more with me. I’m way past falling for her now. I’m utterly fucking obsessed.
Amelia
“I guess I need to start packing,” I say as we walk back into my apartment. I’m absolutely starving, and whether Miles knows or he’s just decided I need to eat, he goes directly to the kitchen and starts warming up food.
I sit down on a stool at the small kitchen counter. This apartment feels much smaller now after seeing the new apartment.Ournew apartment. We’re moving in together. It should scare me, but outside of my trust issues, it doesn’t. Andthatdoes scare me. How did I end up here? It’s almost May. Three months ago, I didn’t even know this man. Now I’m carrying his baby, moving into an apartment with him, and… falling. Despite my instincts screaming at me to run from long-term commitment, I am falling hard for Miles.
He starts the microwave, then leans over the counter on his elbows. “You do need to start packing—if you’re sure about the apartment.”
“I put my name on the lease, so I better be.”
“Ames…”
I reach over and rest my hand over his. “I’m sure about it. It’s more gorgeous than I could’ve imagined and I love the modern but homey style. It’s perfect.”
I’m rewarded with a heart-melting smile. “I’m glad you feel that way. It’s my dream apartment.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”
