"Yeah," I agreed. "They really hate you."
He sighed. "That's because I was a giant asshat to you." He patted the small area next to him.
"I won't fit."
"You will if you lay right on top of me."
I burst up from the couch and snuggled right on top of his chest. He stroked my hair. "You're my favorite thing, Grace Banner."
Tears sprang to my eyes. I wasn't sure what to say. "We had a rough start, didn't we?"
"Oh, I don't know. It's one of those stories we can tell people when we're ancient that will never get old. The powder keg and the match's love affair."
"Should we look into the future?" I asked, my eyes drifting shut as I relaxed against him.
His heartbeat picked up and thundered beneath my ear. "No, Grace. Never. I want to know each day only as it happens. I always want to be surprised by you. I want to hear you color my world with creative curses and burn me with your love."
I raised my head up. "Love?"
Lucas raised one eyebrow. "Don't you?"
I narrowed my gaze. "I see what you're doing here, Mister. You're dipping your toe into the water to gauge the temperature. I'm not falling for that."
He laughed at me. "Well, it couldn't hurt to try. Although a declaration of love would certainly be nice. I've had a difficult day."
I dropped my head back down on his chest. "Poor little vampire baby."
"Grace?"
"Hmmm."
"I'm a commitment phobe."
I sighed. Here we go...
"But I don't think I'd want to live another day in this world without you bitching me out."
I snorted with surprise and followed it with laughter. "I don't bitch you out all the time."
"Only when I deserve it."
"And sometimes when I think you deserve it. Which may not be whenyouthink you deserve it."
"So we're agreed then that you do a lot of bitching?"
"Shut up, Lucas, and continue telling me how amazing I am."
"If you think bitching is amazing, I'm not sure how to continue this..."
I poked him in the ribs.
"I value your thoughts, your opinions, your ability to forgive when I've screwed up catastrophically. I appreciate how willing you were to step up and help Marissa even when you thought the worst of me. You're everything I've ever wanted in a woman even with your sailor mouth."
I sighed. "You're terrible at this."
"Duly noted." Lucas' arms tightened around me. "What I'm saying is that I love you. From the moment you stepped out of your bedroom dressed like Punky Brewster's worst nightmare, you had me. It just took me a whole lot of assholish behavior to realize it."
I lifted my head and sighed. "You idiot. I love you too." I dropped my head back down. "But I'm not sure I want Colin at our wedding if we ever get married."
"Good luck with that. He's been waiting on the sidelines for months trying to whisk you away from me. He'll be in the front row ready to object during the vows."
I groaned. "Let's not get married then."
Lucas squeezed me tighter. "That's what elopements are for. Or rope if we need to tie him down."
"I like the way you think."
