I don’t know what to say. I’ve missed him and the way he makes me feel. But he walked away, he broke me when I thought I was already beyond repair. I know I’m not blameless; I haven’t exactly been perfect. After all, my issues kept us apart for months. We’ve both made mistakes and both have a lot to work through. Can we really come back from everything we’ve been through, both together and separately? Right now, it doesn’t feel like something we can get past. But God, I want it to.
Dylan steps forward and wipes his thumbs under my eyes. It’s only when they come away wet that I realize I’m crying. He gently kisses my forehead and then takes a step back, a look of absolute devastation crossing his face. “I’m too late, aren’t I?” he rasps.
My heart cracks in two, and I’m pulled from my own torment. I can’t bear to see him like that…ever. His question put everything into perspective. The thought of never being with Dylan again pains me. I can’t imagine not being able to kiss him or touch him. So is he too late? No. He’s not. And if he’s not too late, then why delay the inevitable?
I’m marginally aware that I should be saying something, but all I can think about is if I should put everything aside and kiss him. Dylan’s eyes search mine for answers, and when I bite my lip, he groans and clenches his hands by his sides. He stares at me for a few more seconds and then shakes his head. “Fuck it,” he says, and before I have a chance to question what he means, his hands cup my neck, and his lips meet mine in a scorching kiss.
Chapter Forty-Three
Dylan
IpoureverythingIhave into this kiss. I’m not sure if it’s goodbye or I’ve missed you too. Whatever it is, I need to make it unforgettable.
Summer moans the second our lips touch, and the sound vibrates through my entire body. Her hands rest on my waist. She’s not pulling me closer but not pushing me away. With one hand still on her jaw, I run the other down her neck, over her breast, to her hip and then back up. When I reach her arm, I follow it down to her hand and then pull it away from my body before linking our fingers. She gasps at the gentle touch, and I slip my tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss.
I take a step back, remembering there’s a wall behind me, and pull Summer’s body flush to mine. This is the moment. If she wants me, now is when she’ll make it clear. She hikes up her leg and wraps it around my waist, strengthening our connection, and moves her spare hand into my hair.Thank fuck!I groan and pull my mouth from hers. “Please tell me I’m not too late?” I beg. I need to hear the words.
She shakes her head and pulls me back into her, sucking my bottom lip into her mouth. It’s not exactly an answer, so I break the kiss again and prepare to lay everything on the line.
Raising our linked fingers to my lips, I hold them there and look into her eyes. The most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen, eyes that I want to see every day, eyes that I want my children to have.Fuck!This is my last shot. “Summer, I need you to tell me we’re going to be okay. I need to hear the words because I’m so in love with you that I can’t bear to stay in any kind of limbo.”
She stares at me in shock, but I continue. “I know it might take time to trust me again, to trust in us. But I need to know you haven’t given up. That I have a shot. Please, Summer, I love you.”
She blinks a few times, and a lone tear runs down her cheek. “But, you can’t…” Her words trail off as she drops her chin to her chest. The look on her face as she speaks is heartbreaking. She’s not saying “you can’t” because she doesn’t want me to love her, she’s saying that because she truly believes no one could. God, I’m such a fuckup. I should have been showing herevery daythat she deserves love, that she’s worthy.
I frame her face with my hands and lock eyes with her. I need to know she’s listening, really listening to my next words. “Summer, you are perfect to me. Everything about you is perfectforme. When I look at you, I see my future. I’ll admit that at first, these intense feelings scared the hell out of me and kept me away, but it didn’t change the fact that the feelings are there. I love you. I’minlove with you. I should have focused on that instead of everything else we had going on. Because Summer,nothing else matters. I love you and—”
“Stop, please.”She looks away, refusing to meet my eyes, and my shoulders sink. I’m too late. I thought I’d felt something in our kiss, but maybe I’m wrong.God, is this the end? Are we done?I’m so stupid. I should have taken her in my arms at her parents’ house and told her how I felt. Actually, I should have let her tell me how she felt when she wanted to. Why did I have to freak out like that? I don’t deserve her. She needs someone strong, someone who’ll fight for her from the beginning. I know that now, but that information might be useless.
Summer remains quiet while I free-fall into hell. It’s clear she’s struggling with the right words, so I make it easy for her. “It’s okay,” I begin, ready to help her end it. “I un—”
She places a finger over my lips to shush me and smiles shyly.“I love you too.”
Fuck!My heart stops at her words and then beats again in double time. I’ve heard those words many times before, but this time it feels like my entire world has shifted, and now everything’s in its rightful place.
I smile back at her and grab her face again, kissing her nose, her forehead, her cheeks before ending back at her lips. “God, I love you so much, Summer,” I say against her mouth.
She giggles and grips my shirt, deepening our kiss and showing me exactly how she feels.
After checking in with Cory, we walk hand in hand through the bar and out into the cold night. I pull Summer close to me when she shivers and wrap my arm around her neck. We’ve had moments like this before, but something feels different. It feels real. “Just so you know, I’m going to be calling you my girlfriend now,” I say with a smile.
Summer cringes beside me. “Ugh, really? Isn’t there something better than that?” she says, and I bite back a laugh.
“Partner?” I ask, trying to remain serious.
“Uh…no.”
“Significant other?” I say with a straight face, turning in time to see Summer’s reaction, and it’s priceless.
She scrunches her nose and shakes her head, unimpressed with my suggestions. I laugh and gently flick her nose. “Unless you’re ready to upgrade, then I think—”
Hereyes widen in alarm. “Girlfriend sounds perfect,” she says, interrupting me. I knew that would get her across the line.
I laugh. “It does sound perfect, doesn’t it?”
She shakes her head and smiles up at me, lighting up her entire face. My heart flutters in my chest as I realize that, for the first time, we’re actually on the same page. We still have things to work through, but this beautiful, intelligent, playful, and loving soul is mine, and every part of me is hers.
When we’re almost to her car, I squeeze her arm, pulling her close. “Remember that time I carried you honeymoon style all the way home?” I say, because I can’t help myself. It’s us; it’s what we do.