I tugged on his hand, dragging him inside, and closed the door behind us. Then I pushed him against the wall, in the exact spot where he’d given me a kissing lesson all those months ago. And I smiled. “I’m thinking we don’t need to play it safe anymore. I believe in us.”
“You really want to share a room?” His voice lowered, promising everything my heart had been dreaming of. “Share a bed?”
“I really do,” I said with all the certainty inside me.
He kissed me, sweetly, reverently. When he pulled back, he cupped my face in one hand, gaze locked on mine as if he could see into my soul. “I love you, Scarlett Logan.”
My knees wobbled. Luckily he had an arm around my waist. I might never get used to him saying that.
“Was that a real ‘I love you’ or was it more like ‘I’m going to love all the sex we’ll have in my bed’ kinda thing?” I teased, once I had my breath back.
He laughed and pulled me a little closer. “How about both? Though, speaking of those words, you gave me something important the night you came back. You accepted me as I was, not expecting me to say I love you. And I’ve been thinking about that a lot.”
“And what did you work out?” I asked gently.
There was a long pause, but I waited patiently, knowing he’d always share everything with me. He was both Best Friend Finn and Lover Finn and that was an amazing combination. Nothing could hold us back now.
“The last morning I saw my parents before they died… I’d always known it was illogical to be superstitious about telling them I loved them. But I realized recently how much worse it would have been if I’d wanted to say it that day and missed my chance. I’d be eaten up with regret. I want the people I love to be certain I love them.”
“That’s what you said to Billie, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” He glanced at the front door. “She said she’d always known, but it seems that it meant something to her to hear it.”
I laid a hand over his precious heart. “Especially just before she went away.”
“Yeah,” he said, a worried frown crumpling his forehead.
“Oh, hell.” I winced as a realization struck. “You’re going to go the other way now, aren’t you?”
His head swung back to me. “What other way?”
“You’re going to say it all the time just in case something happens.”
He grinned. “Oh, yeah. I’m going to be nauseating and tell you twenty times a day. Fifty on a weekend.”
I sighed melodramatically, but not-so-secretly loving it. “You’d better get started.”
“I love you, Scarlett.” He leaned in and whispered near my ear, “I love you, Scarlett.” He kissed me and spoke against my lips. “I love you, Scarlett.” He arched back to see my eyes. “Sick of it yet?”
I happy-sighed. “I don’t think I’ll ever be sick of hearing you say that.”
“Me either,” he said and lifted me up to carry me down the hall. “I love you, Scarlett.”
I wrapped my legs around his waist and leaned down to kiss him as he walked, sure in the knowledge that Finn would always be a factor in my life. And, no matter where we ended up, I’d always be a factor in his.
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Acknowledgments
Huge thanks and hugs and all good things to Amanda Ashby, Barbara DeLeo, and Sharon Archer for their brainstorming, critiquing, and cheerleader impersonations. You all rock!
About the Author
Rachel Bailey developed a serious book addiction at a young age (via Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-Duck) and has never recovered. Just how she likes it. She went on to gain degrees in psychology and social work, but is now living her dream—writing romance for a living. Her books have hit the USA TODAY bestseller list, are published in over twenty-six countries, and have been translated into more than sixteen languages. She lives on a piece of paradise on Australia’s east coast with her hero and their dog pack, and loves to hear from readers.
www.rachelbailey.com
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