Stone (Pittsburgh Titans 2) - Page 86
To my shock, however, Odin merely sits his butt down and watches us both carefully.
“I’m sorry, Harlow,” Stone says, and it jolts me that he’s speaking to me directly. I turn my head to him.
Stone’s palms move to my cheeks. “I’m sorry for all the stupid shit I said to you last night. I meant all of it, but I don’t want any of it to mean anything at all. Does that make sense?”
I frown and shake my head. “It makes no sense whatsoever.”
“What I’m trying to say is that all those feelings I had were real and legitimate, and they were clearly brought on by the fact that I have a fucked-up, dysfunctional family causing me doubt. But I was wrong in letting them eat at me in a way that caused me to give up on us. It’s not who I am. I’m not the guy who gives up anymore.”
That’s exactly what I needed him to say. It would’ve been all wrong had he apologized and said he didn’t mean it, because that would’ve been a lie. I know his doubts and fears are real. I know that while Stone has come a long way in the last several weeks, he still has pain and demons. Hell, I still have pain and demons.
The fact that he’s admitting them, but doesn’t want to be a slave to them, is exactly what I needed to hear.
I throw my arms around his neck and plaster my mouth to his. I know there is probably so much more to say, but honestly… it’s irrelevant at this moment.
And let’s not forget, he just threatened to kill his father if he ever touched me again. While I don’t wish any parent and child to have that type of divide, that fierce protectiveness tells me everything I need to know about this man.
Stone pulls his mouth away from mine and looks down at me. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you. I’m having a hard time reconciling that I have a career again. It’s harder still to believe that you’re real. Even harder is the realization I can love someone so much or even have the guts to admit that to you, because deep down… there’s still that small part of me that doesn’t want to trust any of this. But I have to try, Harlow. You’re too important to me to not try.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I murmur. My ears are ringing, and I feel light-headed because I’m pretty sure he just told me he loves me.
“You don’t have to say a thing. You only have to listen right now. I love you. I love the woman who stopped her dog from attacking me when I stormed into her office, the woman who battled addiction, the woman I came to know through my brother’s journals. The woman who I’ve now shared meals with, dreams with, passion with. If my behavior has set us back, all I’m asking is you give me another chance.”
My ears still ring slightly, and the dizziness is in check only because Stone is holding me. It’s with no hesitation that I say, “I love you, Stone. And I’ll give you a million chances to always make things right with me.”
“I don’t know why you’re so generous.”
“Because I know mistakes happen. I know weakness is an ongoing battle. I wanted to drink so much when you left my condo last night—”
Stone jerks me to him and wraps his arms around me tight, pressing his lips to the top of my temple. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that—”
I push him away and tip my head back so he can see my face. “Don’t you apologize for my weakness. I need to own it. It’s only when I own it that I can defeat it. You’re going to piss me off at some point in the future, Stone. You’re going to hurt my feelings again too. I’m probably going to do the same to you. It’s what people do to each other because we’re human. But if I know you love me, I can overcome anything. And what I hope you learn is that you have my love, my loyalty, and my absolute devotion. So you can overcome any weaknesses that decide to rear their ugly heads.”
Finally, Stone smiles. The tension, angst, and worry seem to melt away. “I think we might be a fucking match made in heaven.”
“I absolutely believe something bigger was at play in bringing us together.”
“Brooks,” he says simply.
I don’t know if Brooks is our guardian angel, or if some cosmic power put us on the same path.
I only know I’m never going to question it.
I’ll only ever be grateful.
I lift onto my toes and press my mouth against Stone’s. It’s the first kiss of our new life together, and I know there will be a million more to come.
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