I turned toward Gabe. “I’m so sorry about this mess.”
He gripped my hip. “I’m sorry that Jenzy is a dick, but I’m not sorry that you told me you loved me.”
One side of my mouth quirked up. This was not how I’d planned tonight going at all.
“To be clear, that wasn’t just for him, was it?”
He looked so hopeful, and my heart pounded in my chest.
TUCKS
Please let that not have been just for Jenzy’s benefit.
Did I look desperate? I felt it.
She nibbled on her lower lip, her eyes locking on mine, and I swore she took a visible breath.
“Can we sit?” she asked, which didn’t help my nerves at all.
“Uh, sure.” I sat down across from her again.
She fidgeted with her fingers and I held my breath.
“No, it wasn’t for him at all. And I know I already said this, but I want you to hear me without him around. I’ve fallen for you in a ridiculously short amount of time, and it’s honestly scary as hell, but I don’t want to fight myself. You’ve been nothing but amazing through all of this, and I hope that I haven’t read it wrong that you want more too. I’m putting myself out here and attempting not to panic because my judgment around men is obviously shit, but I’m trying to trust my gut. Wow, that sounds terrible, doesn’t it?” She huffed out a breath, and the pink tinging her cheeks tugged my heart. She was rambling again, and I was here for every second of it.
“Can you say something? Did Roger ruin this? Fucking asshole.”
I stood up and moved to her side of the booth, crowding in next to her with half my ass hanging on the edge because I needed to be close to her.
“Umm, is that comfortable? Your ass barely fits,” she said, eyes twinkling.
“I’ve been in tighter positions before,” I replied. Then I couldn’t resist teasing her. “You know how flexible I am.”
“Gabe,” she whispered.
“We’ll get to that later.” I pressed a quick kiss to her jaw and pulled back to hold her gaze. “But to answer your question, no, he didn’t ruin anything. And I don’t care how we started, or that we haven’t known each other long. We’re falling for each other—I mean, I fell already—and this doesn’t feel like it’s ending any time soon, probably not ever.”
“How can you know that?” she asked, her thumbnail grazing over my knuckles.
“Because why wouldn’t we want this forever? Also, Pucks comes with me, and no one can resist him.” I grinned.
She laughed softly. “You’re putting a lot of pressure on poor Pucks.”
“He can handle it. But I’m being serious, Dani. We’re adults, even if I act like a goofball and get zoomies on the ice.”
She smirked.
“And we can work through anything because our communication is pretty decent and we kill it in the bedroom.” I wiggled my brows.
“I thought you were being serious,” she snarked.
“Sarcasm and teasing. We are a match made in heaven. And I love you and you love me, so that’s all that matters.”
“I do love you.” She flashed me another smile.
“Umm, sorry to interrupt,” the waitress said, standing slightly back from the table, probably because I was falling out of my seat. What a show we must have put on—well, still were putting on, with me balanced precariously on the edge of the bench just to be close to Dani.
The waitress was holding a few to-go boxes and the bill.
