Page 34 of Love Me Like You Do
“I…” he sighed. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Couldn’t hurt you. And knew it would.”
“But don’t you see that by not telling me, by being my friend and not revealing what you knew you hurt me more?” Her eyes were full of tears and regret.
“I’m sorry. I’ve got no excuse except I’m obviously a coward.”
“I wouldn’t call you that.” Her mouth tipped up on one side. “Your job is to run into burning buildings after all.”
“No fire has ever made me feel fear like the one that just crippled me. God, Cov. The blood. Dirk. The blood.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Her fingers squeezed his.
Opening his eyes, he leaned closer. “I love you. With everything I am. Give me the chance to prove it to you.”
“Okay.”
“I promise if you say yes you won’t regret it. I’ll spend every day making sure you’re happy. Making sure you and our babies have everything you need and want.”
She smiled. Nodded.
“You’ll never want for anything. Not… Wait.Okay?”
“Yes. Okay.”
“You’ll give us a chance?” he double-checked.
“Yes.”
“Really?” He had to be sure.
“For god’s sake Harding, the woman said yes. Ask her already.”
He glanced over his shoulder and saw they had an audience. A house full of police and firemen and was that Henry Walker in the back there? The Mayor of Hope Falls was in his house.
Shaking his head, he turned back to Covington. “Ignore them.”
“I was.”
“Oh, right. Well. About that chance. Does it include maybe, if it’s what you want of course, I mean it’s not like we need to rush, although with the babies coming—”
“Jesus. Get to the point buddy,” Dylan groused.
Cov grinned at him. “Yes.”
“What?” Tris wasn’t following. The punch Dirk landed must have knocked a few screws loose because he could swear Cov just said yes and he hadn’t asked her anything yet.
“Yes. The chance includes marriage. On one condition.”
“What? Anything. Name it.” He’d hand over his first-born. Oh wait…
“I want to go outside and feel the snow on my face while it’s still falling.”
“Outside? Now?”
“And I want to make snow angels and build a snowman.”
“Ah, okay…” Tris glanced at the paramedic only a few feet away and raised one eyebrow.
“Sure. No sutures, barely a scratch really so there’s no worries about a concussion or further bleeding now that it’s stopped.”
“Right.” They were going to make snow angels and snowmen. Pushing to his feet, he held out a hand. “Let’s go play in the snow.”
She moved into his arms, hers sliding up around his neck, her face tipped up to his. “Oh, and Tristan.”
“Yeah.”
She smiled. “I love you too.”
He grinned. He was pretty sure it was the goofiest grin in history, but he couldn’t help it. She’d said she loved him. Oh, he didn’t believe it would be all sunshine and rainbows but Covington Valenti loved him and was willing to give him a chance. It was all he needed.
She pushed to her toes and pressed her lips against his. “And I don’t know what I did for you to love me like you do, but I’m glad I did it.”
