A myriad of emotions crosses his face, but he doesn’t say anything as he unfolds his arms and stalks over to me. His eyes are absolutely blazing as he reaches out, his hands cupping my face as his mouth crashes over mine.
It’s raw and worshipful and absolutely everything I didn’t expect.
“Do you love Remi?” he rasps.
“Yes.”
“Do you love me?” There’s no hesitation in the way he asks the question and because he’s put it all out there—I do too.
“Yes.”
“Then that’s all I need, Nessa. If you want more babies I’ll find a way to make it happen. If it’s just the three of us, I’ll never need anything else. You will not chase me away because of something that happened to you at fifteen that was completely out of your control.”
“I just?—”
“I see you, Nessa. I see the pain in the years you’ve spent pushing everyone away. The carefully crafted persona you show to the world, but that’s out there.” He motions somewhere with his hand but never takes his eyes off me. “That’s not who you are here. With me. With Remi. I just want you. Let me love you, Nessa. Let me show you everything you deserve.”
“But how can it be that easy? How can you look at me and make it be enough?” My voice cracks as years ofeverythingcrash over me. The hurt, the judgment, the endless waves of devastation and anger and acceptance. I lived it—breathed it alone for so many years, hiding that piece of myself from the world with a smile painted on my face.
I thought I’d made peace with a future I could never have, but then Remi came along, and being a part of her life awakened something inside me I didn’t dare hope to be real.
She changed me.
And Jensen did too.
“I don’t have tomakeyou be anything, Ness.Youare more than enough—you’re everything.”
JENSEN
My heart hammersin my chest, and I want to drop down on one knee and ask her to be my wife right here in front of this waterfall.
But I don’t.
I know as well as I know my own name that she’s not ready—not yet—but I can wait. Because Nessa Hart is worth it.
“I love you,” I say instead, watching her lips part and her eyes well with tears. She’s beautiful, her cheeks pink and her blonde hair dancing around her like a halo.
“Is this crazy?” she asks on a choked sob. “You and me together? With Remi?”
“I was enamored with you the day we met and that hasn’t changed.”
“So you like my crazy,” she teases, her lips twitching as her hands fist my jacket.
“I fell in love with your crazy and the way you love my daughter. I fell for your strength and the heart that you keep locked away.” Tipping her chin up with the side of my finger, I say, “I could live a thousand lifetimes on my own, but the only one I want in this life is you.”
“Been workin’ on your game, Sheriff.”
“Thought it sounded better than ‘thanks for tolerating me; you can’t leave now,’” I muse, pulling her flush against me as she throws her head back and laughs.
“I dunno, that version has a certain ring to it.”
Brushing my lips against hers, I relish in the fact that her lips will be the last I kiss for the rest of my days. It’s a heady feeling and not one I thought I’d ever need, but Nessa is like taking a lungful of air after being underwater too long and finally pushing to the surface.
“I brought a blanket and some hot chocolate. I know it’s cold, but I thought we might talk out here for a minute before going back to the truck.”
“I’d love that.”
“Really?”
