Page 62 of The Candle Palace (Jamison Valley 6)
I ran my hands gently up his stomach, my fingertips careful as they traced their way to his chest.
Milo went rigid, his eyes squeezing shut.
“Does it hurt?”
“No,” he whispered.
“Would you look at me?” I waited for his dark eyes to open. “I don’t see scars when I look at you. I see a man who makes me feel safe. A man who makes me feel wanted and sexy. You don’t have to hide these scars from me. They don’t scare me.”
Nothing would. Not his scars. Not distance.
Milo’s entire frame relaxed. The breath he let out breezed through the room, blowing away his fears. His hands came to my cheeks. His forehead dropped to mine.
“How’d I get so lucky to find you?”
I smiled. “We both got lucky.”
Milo broke away and stepped back, running a hand over his hair. “I’m trying to be cool about this. But the problem is . . . I’m not cool. I’ve never been cool a day in my life. I really want to tell you something but I’m worried it’s going to chase you away.”
My heart dropped. “O-Okay.”
“I, uh . . . shit. I don’t know how to say this.” He paced the space between us. “It’s only been a couple of months. But they say, when you know, you know. And I know. I think you do too, but I—”
“Milo,” I blurted. His rambling was about to make me come out of my skin and my heart couldn’t take it. If he said what I thought—what I hoped—he was going to say, I needed those words. “Just say it.”
“I love you.”
Tears flooded my eyes. “I love you too.”
/> “You’re sure?”
I nodded, the smile on my face painful. “Yes! Definitely.”
Milo rushed me, his lips smashing down on mine as we laughed together. This was happening. Us. There’d be no breaking us apart. Somehow, we’d find a future together. I knew it from the bottom of my soul.
The kiss deepened. His tongue darted out to caress my lips. And as we stumbled our way to the bed, stripping off clothes until we were both bare, the smiles on our faces stayed in place.
They stayed all night long.
We were going to make it. We’d find our happy ending.
Because I’d never say the words I love you to any man but Milo Phillips.
“So you’re hanging out all day?” I asked Milo as we walked along the sidewalk, hand in hand, toward the hospital. He’d insisted on walking me to work.
“Pretty much.” He shrugged. “I need to make some calls. Check in with my parents and work. I thought I’d try to call Maisy again too just to see how she’s doing.”
“Good.” I squeezed his hand. “I’m sure she’d like to hear from you.”
Milo had tried her once but she hadn’t answered. According to his parents, Maisy had kept a low profile since the kidnapping. Her parents had assured the people of Prescott that she was fine, just recovering and dealing with morning sickness. But Milo suspected there was more. He still carried a lot of guilt for not being there when she’d been taken.
I hoped a phone call would ease some of his concerns. And maybe help Maisy too. I couldn’t imagine how she was coping. I only hoped she’d answer his call.
The hospital drew nearer, and as it loomed, a sense of dread weighed heavy.
I’d been blissfully distracted by Milo since he’d showed up at my doorstep. He’d kept my mind off Vernon’s kiss with his own.
But now that I was here, there’d be no more hiding. I had no idea how to face Vernon. I couldn’t avoid him forever. I only hoped I’d have the strength to face him and stand proud.
