With confused, worried eyes, Gavin searched her face. “Yes. What does that have to do with this?”
“I hated myself because every time I looked at my phone, I wanted to call you. I wanted so desperately to call and tell you how sorry I was for not believing you, but I couldn’t. Something held me back. You also told me you got in your car and almost drove to my apartment, but you didn’t. I did the same. I jumped in a taxi and had them drive me to your building. I stood outside looking up, wondering what you were doing and fearing who you were doing it with. I wanted so badly to see you. My heart was torn, broken into pieces, Gavin. I felt physical pain while we were apart. I didn’t believe that kind of pain existed. It was something so entirely different than what I felt when I lost my mother. It cut deeper. But I couldn’t bring myself to get in that elevator and go to you. I didn’t want Dillon. I wanted you.”
“Emily, stop.” Gavin gripped her waist, pulling her against his chest. “Why are you saying all of this?”
“I’m saying this because it’s said breaths are stolen during a passionate kiss. That’s not true, Gavin, because I literally can’t breathe before your lips even touch mine. I try, but I’m unable to. I can’t think when you look at me. You strip my mind bare. You always have, and it’s beautiful and consuming. It’s magical and everything a girl is supposed to feel. It’s said you’re truly in love with someone if your skin tingles from their touch. Mine tingles when I hear your voice; I don’t need you to touch me. I can feel you when you’re not near me. I feel you in my dreams. I felt you when you were a thousand miles away.
“You scared me the moment I saw you, and I think it’s because I knew, I just knew, I was going to fall in love you. I didn’t know our worlds were already intertwined, but my heart somehow knew it belonged to you from the start. I didn’t believe a pain so deep existed while we were apart, but I also didn’t believe a love like ours existed. You’ve shown me it does. You’ve shown me good when there was bad. You’ve given me pleasure above all of my pain. You’ve given me life when I thought I was dead.”
Emily paused, tears streaming down her face in a rush. “It’s also said if you love someone enough, you’ll let them go if all you’re doing is causing them pain. That’s all I’ve ever caused you, Gavin. From the moment we met, I’ve turned your world upside down. And now this. I can’t have you not speaking to your mother because of me. I love you enough to let you go so she can continue to love you.”
Gavin recoiled. Feeling knocked off balance, a flash of pain shot through his chest. He swallowed, inhaling a deep, broken breath as he stared into her eyes. “You can’t leave me,” he said, hearing the desperation shaking in his voice.
“I have to,” she choked out, dying from the fear she saw on his face. “I can’t be the reason your family falls apart.”
“You won’t be,” Lillian’s soft voice hummed through the air, reassuring certainty filling her tone. Emily faced her, blinking her wet eyes in surprise. Head spinning with confusion, she swiped her fingers across her cheeks, her body shaking. “You won’t be the reason our family falls apart because I wouldn’t allow a woman who loves my son as much as you do to walk out of his life.” Stepping closer, Lillian placed a tentative hand on Emily’s shoulder, her eyes spilling over with tears. “I wouldn’t allow you to walk out of our lives. What you were about to give up, though it would’ve hurt my son, was selfless. I once knew a girl who loved a man so much it scared her, too.” Lillian paused, her gaze falling on Chad. The corner of her mouth turned up in a small, sad smile as he made his way toward her. Bringing her eyes back to Emily’s, Lillian shook her head. “It would’ve killed me if I had to give up those stolen breaths before he kissed me. Whether or not the baby you’re carrying is my grandchild, I’d be honored to call you my daughter.”
Emily’s breath caught, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it as Lillian pulled her in for a long hug. Emily cried against the shoulder of the woman who brought life to the man she loved so desperately. Not only was Emily thankful she didn’t have to give up the stolen breaths he took from her, she was thankful that somehow on this cold, snowy night, in the year her life would change in multiple ways, she gained a mother.
Emily closed the penthouse door behind her, smiling when Gavin stood from the couch, holding a box of Valentine’s Day chocolates. She peeled her coat and scarf from her body and tossed them onto the couch as she moved through the living room, toward him. “You do realize those are almost two weeks old, right?” She smiled as she looped her arms around his neck. “And do you ever eat anything healthy?”