AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Milo opened the door more, allowing me to take a step in the apartment. I could smell his soap from his shower and the musty smell of his cologne.
“It was fine,” he shut the door. “I had time with Clay, got him to talk which is always good, and I visited a few hospitals, even got a possible job…”
“Okay, so,” I interrupted him, spinning around to look at him, my messy ponytail almost whacking me in the face. “I just need to get everything out before I look at you again and lose all thought process.”
He smirked and tilted his head. “Looking at me makes you lose your thought process?”
“Shush, let me finish.” I held up a finger, staring at his hairline, avoiding his eyes at all cost. Milo pursed his lips and stuck his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. “I just need to find the words again. Give me a minute.” I turned and looked at his living room, biting my bottom lip.Come on, Madeline…just talk.“Okay, so…” I began again. “I was an idiot.”
I paused, turning back to face him, seeing that he hadn’t moved from the position I left him in.
“I was a big idiot. Whenever I needed someone, you were the one who showed up. Ever since I didn’t get into dental school, it’s always been you to come to my mind first when I need someone. You’re the first person I think of when I wake up, and lately, you’ve been the last person I see when I close my eyes. You take care of me in ways that others don't, and you have ways to make me smile, even if it's bringing me yet another book that you know is going to crush my soul.
“No one else loves me the way you do, and I was an idiot to automatically shut you down at one mention of change. It’s you, Milo. It’s you in Portland. It’s you in Seattle. It’s you in Antarctica.” Milo chuckled, removing one of his hands from his pants to scratch the back of his neck. “I’ve never told you before, but, Milo, I love you. I love you more than anything, and if you’re in Seattle, then I’m in Seattle. I’ll follow you anywhere, and I was an idiot for letting you think otherwise.”
I stopped, taking a deep breath and dropping my arms to my side. Milo smiled and took a single step toward me.
“Madeline,” he said softly.
I finally made myself look into his eyes, falling into the sea of blue. “No matter what happens,” I said as he slipped his hands around my waist, the heat of them seeping through my black t-shirt. “I’m choosing you.”
Milo’s smile was turning my knees into Jell-O. I needed him to talk back to me, to say anything at all, ground me back. Instead, he lifted a hand and cupped my cheek, pulling my chin up and kissing me. A kiss that topped all of our other kisses. His body leaned into me as I arched into him, closing the gap between us. The small amount of tension that was in the room faded as his hand cupped my face and lips moved against mine.
He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine. “Next time we get into a fight, let's… talk. Not talking to you for five days was torture.”
“It was a very long week, even with Ophelia here. I just…” I pulled back, keeping my hands firm on his back, and I looked at him. “I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about.” He kissed me again, lightly, leaving me wanting another. “I was also kind of an idiot by throwing that on you. I shouldn’t have assumed.”
I shook my head. “I would have assumed,” I admitted.
He chuckled.
I rubbed my fingers along his jawline, brushing my thumb against his bottom lip, tempted to kiss him again. I couldn’t help but think he could have been mine all this time, and that we wasted all those years. And here we were now, starting to date, pausing our relationship, finding each other again and again.
“If we keep waiting for each other, it’s never going to happen,” Milo whispered, reading my mind, “I’m yours, Madeline, always have been.”
I grinned and gave him a feather of a kiss. “We got this. You and me against the world.” I kissed him again, this time pulling all of him into me, loving everything about him, about us.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
-Milo-
Madeline didn’t give me any time to embrace us again. I quickly had to change from my comfortable sweats into a pair of slacks and dress shirt before I was forced into the car, Madeline racing down the street back to Ophelia’s venue. Unfortunately, as we pulled up, people were leaving.
“I missed it.” Madeline grumbled, stepping out of the car and into the parking lot, watching as the mounds of cars zippered out. “I wasn’t gone that long.”
I looked at the studio and then back to Madeline. “How many pieces did she show?”
“Well, there was the fall line and then the dresses. I swear I left right before the dresses.” Madeline grabbed my hand and pulled me to the front door. “Maybe they still have some on display. She had a few clients she was going to talk to after about carrying the lines….”
“Maddy!” I heard Ophelia’s familiar voice shout across the room as soon as we entered the lobby. “Milo, you’re here!”
Ophelia’s face appeared out of nowhere, and her arms were instantly around my neck. It had been years since I had seen Ophelia, so I was a bit shocked she actually gave me a hug.
“Thank God Madeline came to her senses,” she squealed.
I looked over at Madeline, who was clenching her teeth, “Yeah, I’m glad she did too.” I pulled myself away from Ophelia and looked at her, still the same beauty as I remember. “Thanks for knocking it into her.”
