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“Hmm?”I managed, but smiling wasn’t happening.
His hands moved up to cup my face.“Baby, what’s wrong?”
YOU!YOU!I love you!Every day, my heart breaks a little more.But I have this.I have your body.In this room, Ihave you.For a few hours every day.
I wouldn’t say that though.I would lose what I did have.
Digging up all the strength I could muster, I smiled.“Nothing.I’m fine,” I assured him.
He didn’t look convinced, but unless he wanted me to go emotional woman all over him, he needed to stop asking.Let this go.
“When I called youmy girl, it upset you.”
I closed my eyes and took another deep breath.Please, for the love of God, stop saying that!
“Wilder, that’s … let’s just say, that is off-limits.Okay?”The pleading in my voice was clear as I opened my eyes and stared up at him.
His eyes slowly roamed over my face as he continued to hold it as if I was something special … something precious.That was going to shatter me if he didn’t stop.
“But you are my girl, Oakley.You were mine, even when we didn’t speak.You’ve always been mine.And”—he locked his eyes on mine—“I’ve been yours since the first moment I laid eyes on you.That’s never changed.I wanted to believe it did.I wanted to think I was strong enough not to love you.I told myself I was different.That life had changed me.That the guy who had loved you was gone.But deep down, my soul was still holding on to yours.I couldn’t shake you.When I refused to let you in my head, my heart made me dream of you.Never, not one time, did I wish for a world without you in it.I never wished that I hadn’t met you, loved you.So, yes, you’re my girl.You own me.”
He wiped the tears rolling down my face with the back of his fingers, then leaned down to kiss the damp skin it had left behind.“You’re the only woman I will ever love.All the shit I’ve said to you, denying my feelings, I’m a fucking liar.I’ve been lying to both of us.I hold on to you in the mornings, hating the moment you have to get up and leave me.”He trailed kisses over my cheek as he whispered words I’d never thought I’d hear him say.
“I love you,” I said feeling the words warm me.
Getting to say those words out loud felt like my life had just opened up to a whole new world.The joy that came with speaking three simple words was powerful.
“I know,” he said with a crooked grin.“You might not have said the words in nine years, but those pretty blue eyes don’t lie.They never have.The moment you started looking at me with the sparkle in them again, I was done.I should have given in then.”
I bit my bottom lip, scared to believe this was real and elated that it was actually happening.
“Sarah?”I asked.
He chuckled.“She’s been trying to convince me to love you for a couple of weeks.She’s a very dedicated advocate.If you’re ever feeling bad about yourself, go let her pump you up.I think she would consider you a saint if we were Catholic.”
A giggle burst out of me, and he leaned down and kissed my lips.
“That’s what I like to hear.No, I fucking love to hear you laugh.To know you’re happy.That you’re mine.”
Lifting my arms, I wrapped them around his neck and went on my tiptoes.“This time, it’s forever,” I told him.
He picked me up and laid me back on the bed before climbing over me.“Yeah, it is.I won’t ever lose you again.I swear to you.”
A knock on the door had us both freezing just as Wilder was sliding inside of me.My eyes went wide as he rolled off me, and I scrambled to grab my towel and hurry to the bathroom to hide.Wilder tugged on a pair of sweats then made sure I was hidden before he opened the door.
“Hey, Dad,” Sarah said.
“Hey, sweetheart.Is everything okay?”he asked.
“Yeah.It’s fine.I was just in bed, thinking that I should come tell y’all that Oaky can stay in your bed until she’s ready to get up in the morning.It’s silly for her to sneak back to the guest bedroom every morning.”
Silence.
I covered my mouth to muffle my gasp.How long had Sarah known I had been sleeping in here?
“Uh,” Wilder said.
“So, anyway, good night,” she told him.“GOOD NIGHT, OAKY!”she called out.
