He stayed inside of me and showered my neck with soft kisses until he eventually pulled out. Resting his mouth on my neck, he whispered against my skin, “I love you.” He placed his index finger on my mouth. “Before you say anything, I want you to know that I don’t use that term lightly. In fact, I’ve never said it to a woman before.” “You haven’t?” “No. I vowed never to say those words unless I was sure I meant it.” His heart beating against my chest was a bittersweet reminder of the fears I’d been trying to keep at bay.
