by Olivia Gates
“You’d be running in circles as I’d be running after you, too. I told you once it’s a win-win situation. For both of us. And if you stick by the very simple rule I gave you, nothing can ever be less than perfect.”
“Just love you, huh?” Her smile shook with the enormity of her emotions as he ran a possessive hand down her back, his eyes on fire with pride and relief. “I will. Love you through this life and any other beyond. I’ve loved you all these years, even when I couldn’t bear acknowledging it, and it’s what drove me to become who I am now. You inspired me, Roque. And I spent the years growing into someone you can love, someone worthy of you.”
Roque inhaled an expansion of every pure and taxing emotion there was. He felt as if his arms spanned the earth and heavens with her filling them. He thought he’d confessed it all to her. But he still had more, would always have more, to give thanks for, to marvel at. Just knowing that she loved him. Loved him.
He entwined a shaking hand into her glossy hair. “It’s me who had to be worthy of you, amor. And though I prayed you would love me, too, now that I know you do, I find it humbling. I, too, struggled long and hard with my self-worth, if for different reasons. But now that you believe I never had any ulterior motive in marrying you, now that you’re trusting me with the rest of your life, this is my real validation. And, amor…“ He tugged gently, demanding a solemn moment. “You are right to trust me. I am yours. I will live to deserve your trust and enrich your life. Never, ever doubt me. Believe every word I’ve said or will ever say to you.”
She looked down at him for a long, long moment, as if taking stock once and for all, assimilating acceptance into unquestioning belief.
Then she smiled, her cherished face tearful, radiant, sure. “I promise, no more doubts, no more heartache, ever again. Except if it’s for you…”
“Oh, no, you don’t! You almost killed me when you got it into your head you were looking after my best interests. From now on, don’t think. Just love me. What do you say?”
“Oh, I can’t do anything but love you. And if you were strong enough to weather my ups and downs at my worst, if you’re still crazy enough to love me now, cracks and all, I’ll burden you with more of me, all of me, all my life. What do you say?”
He gave her a practical answer, sweeping her around, drowning her in every passionate answer he could think of.
And he could think of a lot. He was brilliant after alls.