I reached out to pull him into a crushing hug. “If I said, ‘Merci beaucoup,’ to you every minute for the rest of my life, it still wouldn’t be enough gratitude for what you’ve done.”
He propped himself up to glance down at me. “Why?”
“Because I’m a giver in a world of takers.” I brushed the hair away from his eyes. “Other than Arsène and his family, you’re the only person who has ever given anything back to me. I can’t adequately express in any language how much that means to me.”
“In that case, I’ll have to take extra good care of you to make up for everyone else being awful.” He tugged the comforter and blankets out from under me, then pulled them over us once he returned to bed from shutting off the lights. “I appreciate you looking after me, but I don’t want you to think I’m using you.”
I opened my arms to him, letting him curl up on my chest as I hugged him closer. “It would be my honor, not a chore.”
“Let’s see if you feel that way in the morning—oh, shit, I forgot to ask for a wake-up call.”
I tightened my hold on him to stop him from getting up. “I arranged it for seven while you were in the bathroom.”
“Of course you did.” His laughter sounded so light and free that it brightened my life even in the darkest night. I savored his tender kisses before he put his head on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
“De rien.”
He was a puddle in my arms, which spoke volumes to me about how secure he felt with me. His breathing evened out, but I lingered in the waking world a little longer as I memorized the perfection of holding him. I assumed he had fallen asleep, but he stunned me when he mumbled, “Love you.”
It meant even more to me it had escaped him when he was half-asleep with his guard down. The genuine sentiment was spoken from the depths of his soul without thought. His insecurities might need more time to grow accustomed to the idea of being with me. However, knowing I lived in his heart was all I needed to keep me going. As I kissed his forehead, the words I had been waiting to say flowed freely. “Je t’aime.”
Snuggled against me, Zio succumbed to sleep. He probably wouldn’t remember saying that in the morning, but I would never forget.
