It’s the first time I get to tell someone that I love them, and the moment fills me until it feels like I can’t contain all the emotions, and it pushes tears up my throat. A sob flutters over my lips, and I tighten my hold on Colton.

He lowers his head and presses a kiss on my neck, then whispers, “You mean so much to me, Brie.”

Hearing the words again opens the floodgates. I never knew how good it would feel. I didn’t know how much I needed to hear them.

Colton pulls back, and bringing his hands to my face, he wipes the tears away with his thumbs, an affectionate look softening his features. The expression makes me feel like I’m all he sees.

No one’s ever looked at me like that, and I drink it in like someone who’s been dying of thirst.

This moment between us feels magical. It’s as if anything I wish for can come true, and it’s all because of Colton. With him, I’m braver.

“I’m so glad you came to Black Mountain. You’ve changed everything.” Emotion pushes up my throat, and I take a moment to regain control before I continue, “I never want to live in a world you’re not in.”

Drinking in every inch of his face, I still can’t believe he just walked into my life and fought for me. He yanked me out of the nightmare my life was and made me feel safe and loved.

Colton lowers his head, and I instantly push up on my toes to meet his mouth halfway. When our lips touch, Colton sweeps me away to a place where there’s only us. It’s a wonderland where there’s no fear and pain. Only warmth and love.

Breaking the kiss, Colton grins down at me. He looks as happy as I feel, and it makes a burst of laughter bubble over my lips.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice much lower and deeper than I’ve ever heard. He brushes my bangs away from my forehead, and his gaze caresses my face. “How did I get so lucky that none of the idiots at school swept you up?”

My eyes lock with his as I whisper, “It’s because you’re the only one who saw me.”

Colton lets out a chuckle. “From the moment I laid eyes on you,” he shakes his head, a serious expression tightening his features, “you were all that mattered.”

I can’t imagine how bad things could've been if he never came into my life. I probably wouldn’t be alive today.

“I’m the lucky one,” I say, wishing there was a way to show him just how much he means to me. “You saved my life, Colton. I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for you.”

A look I can’t name ripples over his face, and it almost looks like he’s going to cry, but then he clears his throat and swallows the expression down. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.” He takes a step closer, pressing his body against mine, and then he feathers a soft kiss over my lips. “You gave me the chance to redeem myself, Brie. Forget falling. I love you.”

It takes a moment for me to realize I did something big for Colton, and it makes a wide smile spread over my face. “I love you, too. With all my heart.”

Colton hugs me to his chest, and we stand like that for the longest time while the waterfall rushes into the pool and the sun moves across the sky.COLTONBrie keeps thinking I saved her, and yeah, there’s truth to it. But I don’t think she knows what she did for me. I’m not the hero in our story. Brie is.

We’re sitting on the grass, and the sun is starting to set when I say, “You’re so much stronger than you think. Yeah, I helped, but at the end of the day, it was all you, Brie.”

She brushes her palm over some blades of grass, then glances up at me. “Nope.” She shakes her head, a constant smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You’re the one who fought all my battles.”

I tilt my head and capturing her eyes, I say, “And you’re the one who fought for survival for eighteen years. I only gave you another option, but you were the one who made the choice to move in with us. That’s huge, Brie. That’s one hell of a leap you took.”

I can see my words are getting through to her, but then she says, “Yeah, but it was an easy choice to make because you were there.”

“You gave my mom a chance,” I remind her, hoping to make her see it was all her.

“Because she’s kind like you,” she shoots it down.

I shake my head, determined to get through to her. “Brie, what I’m trying to say is that you gave my mom a chance at life. She was…” I shake my head again, “she gave up after Brady died. You got her to leave her room. You gave her a reason to get up every day.” I lean forward, my eyes intense on hers. “You gave me my mother back.”

Tags: Michelle Heard Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net