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Fallon scrambled up after me. “I’m always right, but why am I slightly terrified of the gleam in your eyes right now?” “I’m just going to invite the man to dinner,” I said simply. She swallowed hard as she glanced from him to me and back again. “He seems like he’s pretty busy right now.” “It’ll take two minutes.” “I’m just going to wait here because I’m having secondhand anxiety.”
“Don’t do people. Love dogs.” And with that, he stalked back to the main site and his crew.
“You shouldn’t hide a damned thing, Reckless. Especially not something that proves how strong you are.”
When I felt overwhelmed growing up, my dad would bend down to meet my eyes and say, “You can only do what you can do.”
relationships with anyone. Not friendship, not more. Wouldn’t want to saddle a single soul with the fucked-up shit that’s me. But you keep looking at me with those kiss-me eyes, all green and sparking gold, and it’s killing me. Doesn’t matter how much I want to drown in your taste. How much I want to know what it would be like to sink into that sweet heat. I can’t. I won’t.”
“Then I’ll come with you. Hang out with you and Biscuit.” The pup lifted his head at the sound of his name. “Fallon, are you trying to play bodyguard?” I asked, a smile tipping my lips. She let out a huff. “I can be intimidating if I want.” The laugh bubbled out of me before I could stop it. Fallon scowled in my direction. “Well, that was just rude.” I held up both hands. “I have no doubt you could kick a man in the balls when he least expected it, but you don’t exactly give off menacing vibes.”
“Sometimes, absolutely horrible things happen. Things where no silver lining can justify the pain.”
“I’ve realized lately that because I lost them, I never take one second with the Colsons for granted. Because my mom can’t see her garden bloom each summer, I take extra time breathing mine in every year. Because my dad won’t ever get to read the new John Grisham, I’ll read it for him and appreciate the twists that much more. And because Emilia won’t ever get to grow old, I’m going to embrace every wrinkle and age spot.”
“Biscuit!” Rho scolded. She winced as she took in my face. “Are you okay?” “I’ll never have children, but other than that, dandy,” I rasped. She sent me a strained smile. “I can try to get him in the back again.” “Just leave him here. If he does that again, you’ll be taking me to the hospital instead.”
“Sometimes, being the one who’s left behind is the heaviest weight. But it doesn’t mean you stop fighting.”
“Sleep, Reckless. I’ll keep the demons away.”
“My reckless girl,” he growled. “Been dying for this. Now, grab the headboard and ride my face.”
“You can’t truly live without some sort of hurt. If you’re so focused on avoiding discomfort, you end up living a half-life. You might get to skip the lowest lows, but you don’t get the highest highs either.”
“Can’t handle being away from you,” he croaked. “Especially not when you’re hurting.” He swallowed hard. “I didn’t want to care about anyone. But you shot that all to hell.” My heart hammered against my ribs, butterfly wings dying to break free. A muscle fluttered in Anson’s cheek. “You didn’t sneak past my defenses, you bulldozed them. Reckless to the bone. And maybe you made me brave enough to be reckless, too.”
“None of us is just one thing. We’re not all good or all bad. We’re a blend of shadow and light. And those sparks only shine because of the darkness.”
“You are not bailing on me.” “Rho,” I croaked. “You try and bolt, and I’ll hunt your ass down.”
“Home is wherever you are,” he whispered. “You’re my sanctuary. Where I feel peace. Where I feel seen. Don’t want anything more.”
“You gave me air when I thought I’d never breathe again. You gave me color when my world had gone black. You see every part of me. I don’t want to spend another moment without you. Marry me.”
