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“Why.”

“Because… Because I can’t.”

“Gabriella, please, there isn’t a thing you could say that would change how I feel about you.”

I close my eyes, squeeze them shut and pray that when I open them he will disappear and this conversation no longer exists. I want to believe them, but if I say it all out loud, the gravity of what I’ve done will become too much and he will never look at me in the same way.

“Why?” It’s a stupid question but it’s all I can manage.

“Because I’m fucking in love with you, Gabriella,” he bellows and a silence so deafening you could hear a pin dropping falls between us.

I feel like I’ve had the wind knocked out of me. I reach for the bed frame and sit on the edge of the mattress. “You love me?” I repeat in utter shock.

He falls to his knees in front of me and cups my face. “Yes, I’m in love with you. I’ve loved you for years, but knew I couldn’t give you everything you wanted, everything you deserve. But if you want to get married? I’ll marry you tonight, you want kids? I’ll give you three. You want the suburban life in the country, let’s move.” He takes my hand and places it over where his heart beats. “Because this, this right here, you made it beat again. Youmade me see color again, made me breathe again. I’ll give you the world, Gabriella, if you just let me. So, please, don’t be with him. Be with me.”

My forehead falls to his as I take a second to register his words. He loves me, wants to give me the world, and I want to let him. I’m done with this, I don’t care about the repercussions. I’m done with it all.

“Say something, please.” His voice is pained.

I take a deep breath and a leap of faith that whatever happens after this, he’ll have my back.

“I love you too.” I throw my arms around him and press my lips to his. He rises, never letting me go, and places me on the bed, covering my body with his. He tugs at the zipper on my dress and slides it down my body, peppering kisses over my bare breasts and down my body, every one striking my body like a match, setting me on fire.

The need for him to take me, to claim me, to truly make me his is so strong. I slide my panties off as he tears at his shirt and briefly gets off the bed to remove the rest of his clothes and then his body his back, hovering over mine. I hook a leg around his waist, as he sucks on my neck in that sensitive spot.

He slides deep inside of me and with every thrust he becomes harder and thicker. He angles my hips allowing him to take me deeper, so deep that we now feel a part of one another. It’s a heady mix of something I can’t decipher. It’s passionate yet rough, and at the same time, I have never felt more connected to him or felt this level of passion.

Our eyes meet, and it all feels too much. I want to cry, scream out in pleasure, declare my love for him over and over again.

“You are so fucking beautiful, Gabriella.” He rolls his hips, hitting that spot that has my back arching off the mattress. “… and so fucking mine.”

“Yes,” I breathe out as the wave of pleasure works its way through my body. “I’m yours,” I pant and then I detonate. He swallows my cries as he finds his own release, a deep growl erupting from his chest as he spills inside of me which prolongs my pleasure.

I tighten my grip around his waist with my leg, not wanting him to slide out of me just yet. Not wanting this moment where only he and I exist to end, where I have to face the reality of my choices and finally come clean. No, I want to cling to this moment, where everything feels perfect, where only our love and us matter; the last moment of calm before everything could come crashing down around us.

Chapter Fifty-One

Brad

I stare down at Gabriella, who’s cradled in my arms, and I watch her as she sleeps. I could stay like this forever. I meant every word I said to her. Whatever she wants, it’s hers. I know there is a lot to figure out, to talk about, but the only thing that matters, the only thing that is important, is that we feel the same way about each other.

She stirs in my arms, rubs her eyes and looks up at me, a sleepy smile sweeping over her face as warmth fills my chest. I want to spend every morning waking up with this woman and have her look at me like that.

“Good morning, Gabriella.”

“Good morning,” she repeats with a yawn. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

“Dumping your jackass of a boyfriend should be number one on the list,” I say dryly.

She bursts into a fit of laughter and I stare at her deadpan. She sits up, wrapping the bedsheet around her body and faces me, leaning in to press a kiss to my mouth and I instantly soften.

“I will, but I fear he won’t go without a fight.” Her voice has a hint of worry to it. I take her hand, interlocking our fingers.

“I won’t let him hurt you.” She nods.

“It’s just…” She stops mid-sentence.

“Gabriella, no more secrets, okay? I’ve got you. Tell me.”