He met my eyes. “There’s no way around it, though.” He gestured at our surroundings. “I live with you. I work for you. If you decide you can’t stand me anymore… what do I do? I’ve managed to save some money since I’ve been here, but it isn’t like I can just waltz out the door and pick up someplace else.” He blew out a breath. “Whether we like it or not, breakups do happen, and they can get ugly. But breaking up with you isn’tjusta breakup for me. My job and my place to live are gone.” He set his jaw. “We’ve been through this, Trev.”
“I know we have,” I said softly. “But what if there was a safety net?”
“A safety—what?”
I shifted a little, trying like hell to get comfortable while every muscle in my body was this tense. “An account. One that you have sole access to, with enough money in it to keep you going until you’ve landed a job and found a place.”
He grimaced. “I don’t have that kind of money.”
“No, but I do.”
Cam blinked. “You—wait, are you suggesting you’re going to… You want to create an escape fund for me?”
I half-shrugged. “You could call it that, I guess? What I want is to give you whatever you need to feel safe and secure. And to keep things separate. Yeah, you’re working for me and living here, but I don’t want you to feel like you’re stuck in any of those things—the job, the house, or a relationship.” I had to clear my throat because it was getting harder to keep my voice steady. “I can hire someone else to watch the kids, too, if that makes the lines clearer. Whatever you need. Whatever makes you feel safe, and like you’re here because we bothwantyou to be, not because you have to be.”
I had never seen so much shock on Cam’s face before.
After a moment, he asked, “But… why?” He shook his head slowly. “You could have literally any man you wanted. You don’t have to settle for me. Why would you—why are you doing all of this just to be with me?”
It was so hard not to laugh out loud at that. The idea was just so absurd.Settlingfor him?Justbeing with him? There was no man in this world I wanted more than him.
“Cam…” I hesitated, then reached for his hand. “I don’t want any other men. Just you.”
He stared at me incredulously, as if he barely comprehended what I’d said, and what little he did understand, he couldn’t believe.
I gripped his hand tighter. “I love you, Cam. I’m in love with you. I…” I shook my head. “I can’t imagine being in love with anyonebutyou.”
His lips parted, eyes wide with disbelief.
“I mean it,” I whispered. “The truth is…” I had to fight back my emotions, and my voice came out unsteady, but I managed tofinish, “The truth is that I’ve loved you since we were kids who didn’t know who we were.”
“Are you…” Cam swiped away some tears that had begun welling up. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” I said shakily. “There is nothing I won’t do to make sure you’re happy and safe. If that’s a bank account with enough money to leave if you want to—done. If that’s hiring someone else to watch the kids so this feels less like a transaction—fine. If it’s—whatever you need. Whatever you want.” I swallowed hard, and I fought to hold his gaze as my eyes stung. “That includesnotdoing this. Not being together. I want you happy and safe. Full stop.”
“But you do want us to be together.” His voice was full of wonder.
“Yes,” I said. “There’s no one else for me.”
Cam stared at me for long seconds, his eyes wide and lips apart. I was sure I should’ve been saying more, but I was out of words. I’d put every single card I had on the table, and all I could do now was wait for him to say something.
When he finally broke the standoff, he didn’t say a word.
He pulled me in closer by the hand I was holding. Then, just like he had that first time in my gym, he curved his other behind my neck, and…
Oh. God, yes. Finally.
Cam’s kiss had never made me break down before, but this time, there was a good chance it would. The softness of his lips, the firmness of his grasp on the back of my neck, the way all this tension just fell away—it was all so damn perfect, I wouldn’t have been surprised or ashamed if I’d fallen apart right there in his arms.
Still holding onto my neck, he broke the kiss. His breath was warm and ragged across my lips, and his voice shook as he murmured, “I love you, Trev. So much.”
The words almost sent me to my knees, and when I spoke, my voice cracked. “I love you, too.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I never meant to put you in a position where?—”
My lips silenced his. Then I kissed his forehead and pulled him in tight. “It’s not your fault. The situation was what it was.” Stroking his hair, I added, “I never wanted you to feel like you were trapped or things were going to get yanked out from under you.”
He sighed, relaxing against me and holding me tighter. “I know. That’s not you.”
