She’s staring at me, and I know she’s waiting for me to speak, but my throat is clogged up with her words.
I clear my throat. “What offer?” Whatever it is, it’s yes, babe.
So long as she’s not asking me to watch her die because, that, I won’t do.
“When you asked me to stay here. To live here. With you. I was wondering…if that still stands.” She exhales softly. “Before, when I said that I was going home, I meant you, Hunter. Home to me now is where you are. I am coming home to you.”
“But I thought…”
“I changed my mind.” She smiles, and it slays me. Fucking slays me. “Well, if you still want me, that is…”
I don’t let her say any more. She doesn’t need to say more.
I clear the distance between us. Then, her face is in my hands, and I’m kissing her.
Kissing her like I’ve never kissed her before.
Every feeling I have for her is poured into this kiss. I need her to know what I feel for her because words don’t seem like enough right now.
Her hands grip ahold of my shirt, her fingers digging into my chest, as I taste her, hold her, feel her.
She’s here and she’s real and she’s mine.
Breaking from her lips, breathing hard, I stare down into her blue eyes.
“So, is that a yes?” she whispers, biting down on her lower lip.
I press my forehead to hers, letting out a low laugh. “What do you think?”
She laughs softly. It’s the sweetest fucking sound.
I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight. “I love you, babe. So fucking much.”
“I love you, too.” She presses her cheek to my chest, her arms coming around my waist.
I just hold her for a long moment, breathing her in, reminding myself that this is real. She’s here.
But, as always, reality seeps in. The reality of her situation.
Taylor might be here right now, telling me she loves me and that she wants to stay with me, but she’s sick. Really sick. And time isn’t on our side.
Releasing her slightly, I stare down at her. “Why did you leave the hospital, babe?”
Her eyes lower. “I needed to see you.”
“You could have called me.”
She lifts her stare back to me. “The battery on my cell had died. My charger was at the hotel.” She lifts her shoulders.
“You could have used a phone at the hospital.” I’m not giving up here.
“I don’t know your number. It’s on my phone—you know, the one that died.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. God, I’ve missed her sass. Okay, I’ll give her that. “So, why did you check out of the hotel?”
She lets out a sigh. “Because I needed my stuff, Hunter. And it just made sense. I was due to check out of the hotel tomorrow anyway, and I was coming to see you tonight with the hope that you still wanted me.”
“I want you.” I cup her cheek in my hand.
She gives me a warm, loving smile. “So, I thought I could leave some of my things here instead of taking everything to the hospital with me.”
My heart stills. “So, you are planning on going back to the hospital?”
Her stare catches and holds mine. “Yes.”
She says yes, but I can still see that darkness called guilt lining her eyes.
“And the surgery?”
“I’ll have it done,” she says the words quietly.
And she’s saying them, but I can hear the doubt and anguish still in her voice.
But she’s saying she’ll have it done, so I’ll take whatever I can to keep her healthy and alive and with me.
“But, Hunter, you have to know…the surgery isn’t a guarantee. I’ve left it so long now, and—”
“Shh.” I press my lips to her forehead. “I’ll get you the best doctors, Boston. You’ll get through this. You’ll be fine. And I’ll be with you the whole time.”
She blinks up at me. “Holding my hand?”
I smile gently. “If that’s what you need.”
“I just need you.”
“Right back at you, babe.” I capture her lips with mine again, kissing her. Moving from her mouth, I kiss her cheek, her forehead, down her nose, and back to her lips. “I love you.”
She runs her fingers through my hair. “And I love you.”
I kiss her one last time, and then I reluctantly break away. I might want to stay like this with her forever, but in reality, she needs to go back to the hospital.
Taylor might look okay on the outside, but I know the inside is a very different story.
“We need to think about moving. I need to get you back to the hospital.”
“Not just yet.” She wraps her arms around me, pressing her face into my chest, holding me tight.
“Babe…” I take hold of her arms, pulling them from around me. Then, I bring my hands up to cup her face.
Her eyes are closed.
“Open your eyes,” I gently command.
She sighs, and there’s a moment of reluctance before she blinks them open.
“You need to go to the hospital.”
“I know. And I will go back. I just want a little more time with you before I do.”