I knew we’d been waiting for each other.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Startled, I looked down. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”
“I woke up.” She frowned. “You’re thinking awfully hard up there. I can see the forehead crinkles from here.”
I rolled, hovering over her. “I’m thinking about you. About us.”
She grimaced, her expression anxious. “That’s making you frown?”
“I’m worried.”
“Is it too much?” She wondered. “I know this is all happening so fast.”
I slipped my hand under her head, lifting her to my mouth. Long minutes passed as I assured her with my caresses that nothing to do with her was too much.
I stayed close after drawing back so she could see me and not doubt my sincerity. “I’m worried how you’ll feel when I tell you tomorrow is Sunday—which means my weekly brunch with my family. I want you to come with me and meet them. I want to introduce them to the woman I know is going to change my life. Who already has changed my life.”
Her light green eyes glimmered with tears.
“I want to spend the rest of the weekend with you, Sprite. I want you with me every second until you have to leave for work on Monday. Then I want you back here as soon as you can be. I want it all—your time, your kisses, your laughter—” I paused. “Your heart.”
She gasped low in surprise.
I shrugged in apology. “That’s what I’m worried about. I feel so much and it’s so solid, so real, and I’m worried it’s too fast for you. I’m worried you couldn’t possibly feel the same way.” I cleared my dry throat. “Yet, I hope you do. I want it more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life. Because–because I’m falling in love with you, Avery. Given the intensity of my feelings now, how I’m going to feel about you next week or next month, astonishes me. I had no idea I was even capable of feeling anything this powerful.”
Restlessly, I rubbed my fingers on the silky skin of her neck as her beautiful eyes stared at me, tears running down the side of her face, disappearing into her hair. For the first time since I met her, I couldn’t read the emotions in those normally expressive eyes of hers.
“Please tell me those are tears of happiness,” I begged. “Tell me you feel this. Please.”
Avery
I stared into Daniel’s eyes. No one had ever looked at me the way he did. The way he was right at this moment. His blue eyes overflowed with warmth, need, desire—love.
And it was all directed at me.
There was another emotion swimming in the depths of his gaze.
Fear.
He had opened his heart to me and wasn’t sure his feelings would be reciprocated.
There were no words to describe adequately how I felt about Daniel.
His quiet confession and final plea left me dumbfounded. I had known last night, as I tossed and turned, my head filled with nothing except him, that I was falling in love. Hard. Making love with him today had only proven it to me. Together we were right. We fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.
Our time together the previous evening had shown me even more of the tender man within Daniel. At the restaurant, it was as if only I existed for him. He listened with rapt attention to everything I said, asking questions, making comments, or observations which showed me he was listening. Really listening. Grant told me once he usually tuned me out since I never had anything interesting to say. Daniel thought differently.
His impeccable manners showed in the way he acted toward me. Opening doors, having me slide into the booth first, making sure I was comfortable, worried I was warm enough in my shawl, and offering his jacket if I needed it. He wasn’t putting on an act, or trying to show off. It was simply Daniel being Daniel.
After dinner, during our walk, he kept me tucked tight to his side, guiding me around obstacles, making sure I didn’t trip over curbs. I felt protected in his embrace. When I stopped to talk to the homeless man, he kept his hand on the small of my back as I bent over, in a shielding stance. We stopped every time someone approached us with a dog, and he’d kneel, allowing the animal to sniff his hand before he would stroke its fur, talking quietly to his new furry friend. When I bought the baked goods for my neighbors and told him how I liked to bring them treats, he murmured about how he thought I was an amazing person. The look in his eyes when I stopped to give the homeless man some of the baked goods warmed me to the core. The pride and tenderness I saw in them stole my breath away. He saw me in a different light.
The same way I saw him.
I knew people would think we were crazy, and that there would be whispers and stories. I knew there was a chance his family wouldn’t like me. I didn’t want to come between him and his family. However, I was already in too deep.
I didn’t care.