Page 180 of Through My Window

Please stay with me.

I can be your Christian Grey anytime you want, you perverted little witch.

I’m in love, Raquel.

I can only see the outline of his pretty face as my mind makes me relive it all over again.

“Ah, I’m a masochist,” I say in a whisper. Ares looks at me.

“Sexually? Because I’ve noticed that you like to be spanked and . . .”

“Shut up!” I tell him immediately. “No, I mean emotionally. You were such a jerk to me at first.”

“Define jerk.’”

I let go of his hand and give him the finger.

“It’s just, how could you consider giving me a cell phone right after we had sex for the first time? Common sense, Ares, common sense.”

His happy expression fades.

“I’m sorry, I won’t ever be able to apologize for all that, I have no excuse. Thank you for not giving up. I’ve changed for the better because of you.”

I don’t take his hand, playing hard to get. Ares jumps and points at the sand near my feet. “Crab!”

“Ah! Where?” I instinctively hug him. He hugs me back sideways.

“Come, I will protect you.”

“Ah.” I push him as I catch on to his lie.

Ares steps forward and kneels in front of me, offering me his back.

“Come on, up.” The memory of him doing that the night I was robbed comes to me. I think about how he had made me feel safe, and how nice he was to me that night.

I won’t leave. Not this time.

I think about breakfast the next day, when he had taken my hand to gently let me know that I was safe, and that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me. It was the first time I saw the tender side of Ares.

I climb on his back and he stands up, letting me wrap my legs over his hips, and I put my hands around his neck to hold me. Ares carries me along the shore, and I realize that this day is full of special moments. I rest my face on his shoulder. The sound of the waves fills my ears and the warmth of Ares’s body mingles with mine. How will I survive without you, Greek God? I push that question out of my head.

“Ares.”

“Huh?”

I lift my head from his shoulder to lean closer to the side of his face.

“I love you.”

He’s quiet for a moment and it makes me narrow my eyes until he speaks.

“I’ll stay.”

“What?”

“You know, if you ask me to, I’ll stay. Right?”

“I know.”