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I cup her cheek, rubbing the tips of my fingers over her smooth skin. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

She cracks a smile at that, trying to suppress a laugh, but it breaks free.

"You know laughter is not typically the response one wants upon telling someone they love them."

She drops her eyes, releasing my gaze. Immediately I feel bad, wishing like hell I could take the words back. "Hey, I was only joking. There's no pressure for you to feel any certain way about me. Just like everything else, it's on your time."

"No. I do...I do love you. So much that it scares me. I mean, how is it even possible to feel this way about you, given our history?"

Once again I'm hit with guilt, but I deserve it and I own it. "Honestly, and this might sound crazy, but I think our past is why we feel so strongly connected in the present. It wasn't an ideal beginning, but it was our beginning, plain and simple. There's never been anything typical about us, nor do I want there to be."

I shift and pull her a little closer. "Well, I would've preferred not to hurt you, but you know what I mean."

"As crazy as it sounds, I do love you, Sterling. Does this...does this mean...are we..."

A giant, smug grin breaks out across my face as she stumbles over her words. "Little mouse, are you trying to ask me if we're dating?"

Her cheeks turn a brilliant shade of pink. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Yes, we are. And we're dating exclusively."

"Exclusively?" There's an undercurrent of surprise in her tone, and I hate it. I'll just work that much harder to assure her of our status.

"That's right, baby, exclusively. Unless that's not what you want?"

"It's exactly what I want, it's just hard to believe you do. Surely you know that you're so out of my league?—"

I cut her off. "No. That's where you're wrong. It's you who's out of my league."

She laughs; any other time the sound would be music to my ears, but the fact that it's full of self-deprecation rubs me the wrong way. This woman is wonderful and she needs to know it, which is why it's now become my new mission to prove it to her.

"How about some breakfast?" she asks, very obviously changing the subject.

"I could eat." I wag my brows.

"You're insatiable," she says with a small laugh.

"Only for you."

She rolls her eyes, trying to downplay my words.

"I mean it. This thing between us might take some time for you to get used to, but I need you to know I'm in this for the long haul. This isn't a game, and you aren't some passing fancy. I want a future with you, whatever that looks like. Anything and everything you're willing to give me, I. Fucking. Want. It."

Her eyes shine with emotion as she smiles up at me, her earlier sadness melting away. "I want you to have all of me, Sterling Abbot, every single drop."

She leans in and kisses me then, moving her lips against mine in a way that sets my heart soaring, and before I know it, the covers are pushed away and our towels are on the floor as we come together—body, mind, and soul—two hearts finally beating as one.

CHAPTER 38

EMMY

"Do you have everything packed?"I holler to Stella from my room.

"I think so," she grunts back, her voice strained.

Curious, I wander into her room, only to find her kneeling over a duffel bag, squeezing it together with her knees as she tries to force the zipper closed.

"Um, how much do you need for an overnight trip?"