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“That’s too bad,” Daire says. “I heard this place had great ambiance on Yelp. Wanted to come and see for myself.”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face when my eyes meet his. He looks good. Healthy. And much stronger than when I last saw him. He’s still in the chair, but he’s dressed nicely. It’s not a suit, but a black knit sweater and gray trousers.
Adrian Daire is back.
“Wow,” I murmur. “You look really good, Daire.”
He smirks. “Save the pillow talk for later, LB. I wasn’t kidding about the wheelchair ride.”
“I think you just want me to sit on your lap.”
“Well, then you’re probably right.”
I walk towards him tentatively. “Wouldn’t I hurt you?”
He reaches out and surprises me when he tugs me onto his lap like the old Daire would have. The chair creaks and I let out an awkward laugh before he wraps an arm around my waist.
“You look good too, LB.” His voice is rough, and his eyes are warm, and there isn’t a single thing I don’t love about this moment. His warmth, his scent, they hit me like a tidal wave and pull me right back under his spell.
“So where are we going?” I ask.
“Nowhere.” He smiles. “I really just wanted you to sit on my lap.”
“Pervert.” It’s supposed to sound like a joke, but hot tears leak out of my eyes, and I can’t really keep up with my emotions right now.
“Why are you crying?” Daire sweeps the tears away with his thumb.
“I missed you.” I wrap my arms around him and squeeze. “I missed you so much.”
His palm comes up to my back, pulling me closer. “I missed you too, Lola. You have no idea how much.”
A dam has broken inside of me. Whatever was holding me together and keeping me in check is gone now. I cry, and I reach for his face and kiss him. Daire grunts in surprise when I adjust my body to straddle him. He’s hard for me, and I don’t need his words right now. I need to know that I’m not going to lose him again. I need to feel him against me and inside of me the way he’s inside of my heart.
“I’m just going to say it.” I sprinkle his neck with kisses. “I don’t care if you don’t like it or if it freaks you out. I love you, Adrian. I love you even at your worst, which is pretty fucking bad. Because you can be awful.”
“Lola,” he groans.
I really don’t care what he thinks because I’m sliding my hands beneath his sweater and onto his skin. I’m tasting his throat. I’m grinding against him and desperate for him to be inside of me.
“Lola.” It takes some effort, but he manages to pin my hands between us and force my gaze to his. I’m afraid to look. And I’m not as brave as I was a second ago because I don’t know what he’s going to say.
“I—” his voice cracks and he clears his throat, starting over. “I love you too.”
“Holy shit.”
“I know,” he says.
There isn’t a single part of me that doesn’t believe it’s the first time he’s said those words to anybody. And he chose me. Somehow, I broke Adrian Daire. I got through to him. And it doesn’t make any sense, but he said the words, and he can’t take them back now.
I tell him so.
“I wouldn’t even if I could,” he says. “I am stupid in love with you. And I might be a dick, but I’m your dick, Lola.”
“Speaking of your dick.” I reach for his zipper, and he looks up at me.
“You really want to do this right now?”
“You’re hard. You can’t deny that you want—” My mind flashes back to that day in his shower, and for a moment, fear threatens to steal my joy. Daire recognizes it quickly and puts out the fire before it starts.
