He swiped the pad of his thumb under my eye, brushing away an errant tear. “I’ll never hurt you, Angel. You’re safe with me. I promise.”
I scrambled into his arms, hooking my leg over the other side of him to straddle his lap. “You’re too good to be true. It scares the shit out of me.” I nuzzled into his neck.
“I’m not as good as you’d like to believe I am,” he repeated what I’d said to him, a smirk in his voice.
“Oh, bullshit.” I swatted his shoulder playfully, looking at him through glassy eyes. “So are we really doing this?”
“I’m all in if you are. I’ve been waiting to hear those words since the day I met you. I just want you to be sure. I don’t think I could take it if you woke up in a day or two and changed your mind.”
“No, I want this. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. It’s you I’m worried about. Running away once you realize what you’re dealing with.” My posture slackened and the corner of my mouth pulled in. I felt so vulnerable voicing my insecurities.
“I’m well aware of what I’m dealing with. I told you that. And I don’t scare easy. Bring it.”
A light giggle escaped me. “You’re gonna get sick of me sometime.”
He laughed into my hair. “Well, it’s not today. Tomorrow’s not lookin’ so good either.”
I threw my head back, keeping my hands on his shoulders, and let out a full belly laugh. He laughed along with me and curled forward, nuzzling his face in my neck. Little by little our laughs dissipated and, when I sat upright, I noticed the shade of his eyes was slightly darker.
I dragged my bottom lip between my teeth and bit down, cocking my head to the side. “You really are kind of beautiful.” There really was no other word.
“Beautiful, huh?” His eyes twinkled as the corner of his mouth pulled up.
“Mm-hmm.” I bashfully traced a circular pattern over his chest with my finger.
“I’d say the same thing to you, but I don’t wanna chance you bolting.” He reached up and tugged a tendril of my hair.
I laughed and slapped his upper arm. “Ha-ha, wise guy.”
He flinched. “I’m serious. I always feel like you’re gonna disappear. You’re like a unicorn.”
I cocked my head to the side, scrunching my face. “A unicorn? I’m a horse with a horn?”
He let out a slight laugh and curled his arms around my waist. “Not a horse with a horn. A unicorn is a fabled creature, a myth. They’re impossible to catch. Didn’t you ever see Gone in Sixty Seconds, woman?” He looked at me in bewilderment, and I laughed.
“They’ve always kind of fascinated me. When I was younger, I thought if I looked hard enough that one day I’d find one. I guess I was right.” He winked at me and my heart fluttered. “I finally found my unicorn. That’s probably why I feel like I always need to keep my hands on you. I feel like one day I’ll turn around and you’ll be gone.” His eyes showed true signs of worry, like it was something that had kept him up at night.
I laced my fingers behind his neck and leaned my forehead against his. “Well, I’m not going anywhere. I don’t think I ever was. You can relax now.”
Without warning, he pulled back, his expression serious. “Say it, Angel.”
“Say what?”
“That you’re mine. I need to hear the words.” He cupped my face in his hands.
I took a deep breath and stared him right in the eyes so he knew how serious I really was. “I’m yours.”
His eyes flared to life. “Again.”
I licked my lips and brought my face a few inches closer to his. “I’m yours.”
His fingertips bit into my thighs as he rooted me deeper into his lap. The corner of his mouth tilted up and those gorgeous baby blues sparkled. The dimple I loved so much poked into the smooth skin at the side of his mouth. “One more time . . . so you never forget.”
Very cute. His study tactic. I leaned in and did what I’d wanted to do since I first saw it and dipped my fingertip into that adorable little divot. Feathering my lips across his, I breathed against his mouth. “I’m. Yours.”
A growl rumbled low in his chest before reverberating into mine, and he sunk his fingers into my hair as his lips came crashing down. I dug my nails into the muscular flesh of his shoulders and scooted deeper into his lap, needing to be closer.