Page 70 of Her Remarkable Protector
“Here,” he says, his tone easy. “Ride on my feet.”
“Excuse me?” I blink at him. “I’m not five!”
“Just trust me. Step on.” He wiggles his boots like they’re some sort of dance invitation.
Against my better judgment, I do as he says, balancing awkwardly as he steadies me with both hands. And then, we’re moving. His steps are slow, his hands keeping me steady as we sway across the floor.
“This is ridiculous,” I say, but I’m laughing so hard I can barely get the words out.
“Ridiculously fun,” he counters, his grin growing wider.
Somehow, the awkward clumsiness fades into something easy, something that feels… right. His laughter mixes with mine, and for the first time, I realize just how much at ease I feel with him.
“See?” His voice turns delicate, his steps slowing. “Not so bad.”
I lean into him just a little, my cheek skimming his shoulder. “Not bad at all,” I admit, even surprising myself. Who knew clutching a guy’s neck—seriously, where do they make necks like this?—while being twirled and spun could be exhilarating.
For a few moments, it’s just us—laughing, swaying, being.
Then he looks at me, and there’s an intensity in his eyes I’ve never seen before.
“What?” I ask, unease tightening my throat.
“I’m about to say something that might ruin this moment,” he admits.
“Why would you do that?”
“Because it’s important,” he says simply. “If it does ruin the moment, just… put me down gently, alright? Take me back to the table, and we’ll forget it happened.”
I exhale, already deciding nothing he could say would ruin this. “Okay. Say it.”
He pauses, his gaze steady, unwavering. “Let me love you.”
The air rushes out of me, leaving a hollowness that’s somehow too full. It doesn’t ruin the moment—it shifts it, tilting everything on its axis.
Let me love you.NotI love you. It’s not a bold statement but a quiet offer. It’s not a declaration, but a request—a promise wrapped in permission, as if he’s offering his heart and waiting to see if I’ll take it.
I bow my head, letting the weight of his words sink in, their meaning settling deep. We keep swaying, his hold unyielding. The motion grounds me, even as my thoughts scatter in a hundred directions.
“I know this is sudden,” Chase continues. “So I’ll understand if you don’t have an answer for me.”
“Who doesn’t want to be loved?”
His eyes cut through every defense I have. “I’ve got a feeling you don’t.”
Silence stretches between us, but it’s not empty. It’s heavy, magnetic. I lean deeper into him, his breathing speaks to me. Yeah, I feel it—his love. But is it mine to take?
“Maybe I don’t,” I whisper.
“Let me love you, and you might just change your mind.”
I lift my gaze to his. “Well, you can try.”
“Is there a chance you’ll ever love me back, Honor?”
I close my eyes, letting the weight of his question settle in my chest. “I want to,” I admit.
His lips twitch into a faint smile. “That’s a good start.”
