Love and Other Things (Crystal Lake 4)

But what to say to him?

Why are you here? Can you see past my skin and bones to my broken heart with those laser-sure eyes?

She heard the words inside her mind and opened her mouth to ask them, but Beck shook his head and leaned closer. He didn’t give her a chance to do or say anything. He cupped her head between his hands, his eyes not wavering from hers, and whispered, “I love you, Sidney Barrett.” His breath was warm against her skin, and his words were thick, filled with emotion. “I let you leave thinking that I didn’t love you enough. And for that, I’m sorry, because I was so fucking wrong. I love you enough.”

He enunciated the word and said it slowly, so there was no way Sid could misunderstand his meaning. Those jelly knees of hers knocked together so hard, his hands were the only things that kept her standing. She grabbed his arms for support, afraid to speak or cry or laugh or do anything. As it turns out, she didn’t have to do anything. Beck wasn’t finished.

“I love you more than enough. I love the quiet moments we have. I love the way you bite your bottom lip when you’re thinking about stuff. I love the smell of your hair, the taste of your body, and the way you sigh when I’m inside you. I love how you like to argue and challenge me and put me in my place when I’m being an asshole.”

Beck exhaled a long, shaky breath. “The thing is, Sid, you kind of snuck up on me when I wasn’t looking. I’d become used to the idea that there would never be a me and someone else. I hid behind that idea because I was too much of a coward to consider the possibility I was wrong. What I had with Cate was wonderful. But it’s in the past and I’m done being stuck back there.”

Her eyes were filled with tears, and his face was a blur, but his words, oh how sweet they were.

“But then you came along, this woman I who knocked me off my socks, and I didn’t know how much I needed you, how much I loved you until you were gone. There is no one else for me, and I’m done being alone. Everything circles back to you.” He rested his forehead against hers. “I love you enough,” he said roughly. “And I can love you enough for the both of us. Please tell me I didn’t screw this up. Tell me I’m not too late.”

Sid couldn’t speak. Literally. Her heart was beating so damn fast and her lungs were so constricted, she could barely keep herself upright.

“Sid?” She saw the concern in his eyes, and maybe the fear. Or was it just a reflection of her own? “Can you say something?” he asked roughly.

“Can you just kiss me?”

She barely got the words out before his mouth was on hers. He kissed her until her head spun. Until those jelly knees of hers wobbled together and he had to pick her up or she’d be on the floor. As he held her close, she’d never felt so loved or protected.

“I love you,” he murmured against her cheek.

“Enough,” she replied huskily.

“More than enough.” He nipped at her neck and grinned. “Can we get out of here so I can show you?”

Just then, the door opened behind them, and he turned, cradling Sid in his arms as they faced her entire staff, just outside her office.

Kylie said with a huge grin, “I told you my carpenter was hot.”

“You did,” Sid replied.

“I think you should hire him.”

“I might.”

“I, ah, uh…I called Derek and told him to reschedule the shoot. Said you had an unexpected emergency come up and would be out all afternoon.”

Sidney was unavailable for close to a week because Beck spent the entire time showing her exactly how much he loved her.

And as it turned out, it was more than enough.

Epilogue

“What do you think?”

Beck stood back and watched Sid slowly make her way around the cavernous church. He’d gutted it weeks ago and had finished framing the new layout before his trip to San Diego. Now he was seeing it through her eyes and was anxious for a reaction.

Light filtered through the huge stained-glass windows. As she stood in its circle, he felt his chest tighten and his heart speed up. God, he loved her. Every single thing.

She was dressed simply in a plain blue dress, cream cardigan, and flats. Her hair was bundled on top of her head in a loose bun, her big dark eyes luminous as she turned in a full circle.

“I love it,” she said softly, turning to him with a smile. “It’s perfect.”

He moved to her and pointed to the loft. “That’s our bedroom. Kitchen over here and living area there. Back along the right will be a couple more bedrooms, and if you walk through that door over there, it opens to another room where you can work.”