“Harry?” she whispers, her voice breathy. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
“No,” I say, trying to laugh it away. “It’s just I’ve got something I want to say to you. But I’m …”
“Scared?” she offers when I trail off.
Silently, she stands up and moves to my side of the table, dragging her chair around. She doesn’t give a damn when the la-de-da lady at the next table gives her a look.
She turns to me, looking up into my eyes.
“Maybe,” I say, grinning. “Jesus, Grace, you can read me so damn well.”
“Maybe it’s because I’ve got something I wanna say, too,” she whispers. “But I’m …”
“Scared?” I laugh softly, reaching forward and touching her chin, moving her gaze up to me. “How about we say it at the same time?”
Please let me be right.
She smiles. “Okay … On the count of three?”
I nod, my heart pounding like a series of goddamn lightning strikes.
“One,” she giggles.
“Two,” I laugh.
“Three,”we say at the same time.
Then we both blurt it, right in the same moment, our voices joining together to make one unified declaration.
“I love you.”
I stare at her for a moment, dumbstruck, unable to believe my ears in case they’re playing tricks on me.
Then I lean forward and smooth her hair from her face, tickling her around the ear in that way that makes her shiver gorgeously.
“Jesus,” I sigh, leaning closer and bringing my lips to hers. “I was so goddamn scared you were going to tell me I was moving too fast.”
“Seriously?” she whispers, her breath whispering over me warmly. “I thought the same about you. Jeez, Harry, we really need to stop doing that.”
“Yeah.” I grin sarcastically. “It’s almost like, if we just talk to each other, we can avoid all these damn misunderstandings.”
“Okay, I’m on board with this whole talking-to-each-other thing.”
I move closer, our lips so close now I’m sure I can feel her lipstick. “Is there something you want to say?” I growl.
“Yeah,” she whispers, grabbing my face, squeezing tightly like she never wants to let go. I don’t want her to. “Kiss me, Harry.”
I part my lips and find hers, kissing her firmly, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close.
I’m never letting her go.
I made that mistake once.
Never again.
I love her.
And I’m so glad we can leave the past behind and finally build our future together.
