“You’re not going to be mad if I call it quits halfway through this?”
“Nope. Like I said, it’s your birthday and I am here to please.”
She smiles slightly. “I’m just nervous. I’ve only ever really kissed one guy before. Outside of Jimmy Benson when I was twelve and we played Spin the Bottle.”
“People still play that?”
“Twelve-year-olds do.”
“I never did.”
“You missed out on sloppy, wet kisses in the dark.”
“Hmm…I’ll take your sloppy wet kisses in the dark all day, every day.”
She smiles slightly at my cheesiness, before her expression turns serious. “I’m scared.”
I take both her hands in mine and twine our fingers together. “I know, baby, that’s why I’m sitting here taking my ques from you. I want you to know you never have to fear me. Not physically and not emotionally. I’m just a big old teddy bear.”
The war to believe me is there in her uncertain gaze for anyone to read and it breaks my heart. My beautiful, scrappy girl should never look at anyone and wonder if they’re going to end up hurting her. I want to take that hesitation, that fear away. I know that I can, it’ll just take time and patience. I have to show her every day why she can trust me and maybe through that, she’ll learn to let others in again.
“So, Red, now that you have me, what do you want to do with me? It’s your birthday and I’m yours to do with however you wish.”
“Have you ever seen that old movie,The Princess Bride?”
“No, can’t say that I have.”
“Whenever the princess would ask something of Wesley, he’d always reply, as you wish.”
“Not a bad thing to say to his lady.”
“She wasn’t his. She was promised to another.”
“Did he smash heads and steal his princess back?”
She nods.
“Sounds like a smart man.”
“I feel like you’re trying to smash through every protective wall I have,” she whispers. “I’m afraid I can’t keep myself safe if I let you in.”
And her entire world for over a year has been about protecting herself.
I let her hands go and take her face into both of mine, my thumbs stroking her cheeks. Her green eyes are huge as she stares back at me, the vulnerability in them rare.
“Daisy, I’m not going to promise you there won’t be times we fight, that there won’t be times we could potentially say something to hurt one another. What I will say is I’ll do my best to never say or do something to intentionally hurt you. I’d rather cut off my right arm and give up my hockey career than to see you hurt. I’m not sure I have it in me to ever willingly cause you harm. I know words don’t mean much, so I’m going to spend the rest of our lives showing you I mean what I say. Understand?”
She nods as best she can since I have her face in my hands.
“The words, Daisy. I want the words.”
“I understand,” she whispers. “I promise to try not to hurt you too.”
I smile slightly. “Good girl.” Leaning forward, I kiss her, keeping it light. Tonight is about her and I want her to decide what we do and don’t do.
She lets out a shuddering breath when I pull away. “Why do you have to kiss so well?”
I laugh. “That’s a bad thing?”
