Page 153 of Let You Love Me

Guilt gnaws on my chest.

If I’m going to tell him, now’s the time.

I worry my lower lip with my teeth.

Just blurt it out and deal with the repercussions later.

“God, I love you,” he whispers as he leans across the table, clasping the back of my neck as he brushes his thumb over the side of my jaw.

“I love you too,” I croak.

He grunts in response and closes his eyes before he blinking them open again. “I fucking hate that we fought about this.”

“Me too.”

His gaze drops to my mouth, and I want to kiss him more than anything. I want to drown my fears in his taste, lose myself in his touch.

But the window of opportunity to tell him is slipping past me with each passing second. If I don’t say something now, I will seal my fate. I may never get another chance where he’s ready and willing to listen with an open heart and open ears. After today, the lies I told will only grow and fester like a tumor, larger than the both of us. I need to cut it out entirely. Now, before it’s inoperable, too late to heal.

I open my mouth to say the words, to tell him he was right about everything: Chance, and the fact that he needs to know the truth if we’re to have a future. “The thing is, Teagan.” I glance down at my hands. “I know I told you not to—”

“You know what?” Teagan places his fingers under my chin, lifting my head so his gaze meets mine. “Let’s just forget it. Strike it from the record.”

“But . . .”

His thumb brushes over my lower lip. “We’re all good, Lane. I promise. We’re all good.”

I let myself believe it.

Chapter 40

LANE

The rest of theweek passes in a blur as Teagan and the team get ready for the big game against Florida. While Teagan’s spending extra time conditioning and going over game tape, I’m preparing for Christmas. Even though we haven’t officially moved into the lake house yet, this will be our first Christmas here, and so I want it to be perfect.

My mind whirls with all the things I need to do. Buy Christmas lights, finish shopping for Sophie, decorate, plan the food . . .

The arm around my waist tightens, and the masculine rumble of Teagan’s voice turns my skin to gooseflesh. “Morning,” he says before pressing a kiss to the side of my neck.

I smile and sink further into his arms. Last night, I brought more of my belongings to the lake house and finished the last of the painting while Teagan helped me with Sophie. It didn’t take much convincing to get him to spend the night, and I could certainly get used to waking up in his arms.

“The door is still locked,” he whispers into the shell of my ear.

A shiver ripples up my spine as his hand slides up my waist, thumb brushing the underside of my breasts. “We could—”

“Mom!” Sophie’s voice calls out, amplified in the staticky sound of the monitor.

I turn my head into the mattress and stifle a groan while Teagan laughs. “Well, shit,” he says.

“Mom!” Sophie yells again.

“Duty calls.” I whip the covers off, padding my way to my overnight bag and grab a pair of joggers to slide beneath the oversized T-shirt I’m wearing, before calling out, “I’m coming!”

“Funny. That’s what you said last night, too.” Teagan props his head on his hand, a salacious smile curving his lips while he watches me with glittering eyes.

I swat at him with a laugh before I head for the door. “Meet us out front.” I motion toward the window.

He nods, watching me as I go.