“So you’re…you want this?” Haley had to be sure. She
needed to hear Claire say it so badly.
Claire looped her arms around Haley’s waist and rested her
head against her shoulder. It was the most intimate, submissive
gesture Haley had ever known her to make. It took her breath
away. She had to clear her throat, but Claire didn’t. Her words
were bold and clear. “I want this.”
Haley had the horrible urge to clarify things because she
still couldn’t believe she was hearing right. “You want us to be
together? To date? To stick this out?”
“Yes. I want you, Haley. I’ve missed you and I’m not letting
you go a second time. You came into my life kind of by a
forced accident and you changed everything. I didn’t think I
was ready, but I was. I am. If you’re here because you want to
start over, then—”
“I don’t want to start over. I want everything we’ve already
had.”
Claire’s smile was soft, and Haley sunk into it. Her arms
wrapped around Claire’s shoulders, holding her in a tight
embrace. It was the most powerful touch she’d ever
experienced. Her whole body was trembling, the emotion
overwhelming her, but she let it. She welcomed it. It was so
good just to feel.
“I want everything we had too,” Claire said. She stroked
Haley’s hair again. “And everything we’ll have.”
They both sniffed the air at the same time. “I believe
something might be on the verge of just perfect, but another
minute and it could burn.” Haley had a trained nose after years
of living with her dad. She might not know how to cook
because her dad did everything, but she was used to smells and