Buried in Secrets (Carly Moore #4) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,68

at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him fiercely.

“I don’t know how to use it very well, so don’t get too worked up. I meant to get to the tavern earlier, but it was delivered today, and I wanted to get it set up before you came home. I figured we wouldn’t want to fumble with it at midnight.”

“It’s okay.” I squeezed him once more before releasing him and rushing over to the telescope. “What do we do?”

He turned it on, and we tried to line it up with some stars, laughing when we realized the “star” we’d found was a porch light of a house on a nearby mountain ridge. Using the flashlight on his phone, he read the manual and realized he could use his phone to help align the stars even though we didn’t have internet or cell service. We spent the next hour scanning the sky, seeing the moon up close, finding Mars, and zooming in on stars, some of which proved to be multiple stars clustered together. I was giddy with each new discovery, squealing with excitement, all while Marco beamed. But it was seeing the Milky Way that had me hugging him again.

“I’ve always, always wanted to see the Milky Way.”

“I know,” he said, holding me close. I’d only told him that once, and it had been a couple of months ago.

I leaned back to look up into his shadowed face. “Why are you so nice to me? Why do you go out of your way to make me happy?”

“Because it makes me happy to see you so happy.” He lifted his hand to my cheek. “But it’s more than that. You’re a smart woman, Carly. Do you want me to say it?” His thumb brushed my cheek, sending a sharp zap of electricity through my body. “I have no problem sayin’ the words. I’m only holdin’ back for you.”

Tears filled my eyes. I wanted him to say the words, but I was scared to say them back.

He started to let me go, but I reached down and stopped his hand, holding it on my hip. “Hold me,” I whispered.

He pulled me close, wrapping his arm around my back while he cradled my head to his chest.

I breathed him in, the scent that was so unmistakably Marco. I molded myself to the body I knew so well yet had never made love to. I clung to this man who loved me like I’d never been loved before, scared to take the leap of faith to give myself to him.

Why? What more could he do to prove himself to me?

I couldn’t think of a single thing.

Pulling back slightly, I lifted my head to look up at him.

He searched my face as though looking for what I wanted, and I thought of all he’d given me. What had I given him? I wanted him to feel the joy I felt when he gave so selflessly to me, and then I remembered what Hank had said about love. When you truly loved someone, you willingly gave up part of yourself to make them happy, but it was okay, because they did the same for you.

I lifted my hand to his face and caressed his cheek. “I’ll say them first.” His eyes widened slightly, and I reached up to kiss him softly, a quick brushing of lips that sent more desire and emotion through me than any kiss I’d ever had. Then I smiled up at him and said, “I love you.”

“Don’t just say it because you think it’s what I want to hear, Carly,” he said, his voice rough.

“I’m not.” A tear fell down my cheek. “I’ve loved you for months, I’ve just been too scared to tell you.”

“I love you too,” he said, his voice breaking. “Don’t be scared. I’ll do everything in my power to make you feel loved and safe so you never, ever have to doubt me.” His face lowered and he kissed me, softly as though he was scared I’d change my mind, but I lifted both hands to his face and held him close.

The kiss deepened, and he lifted a hand to cradle the back of my head. His hands sank into my hair, grasping a handful of it, and I gasped into his mouth.

He pulled back, releasing my hair with a look of alarm.

Smiling, I shook my head. “I’m not fragile. I want you. All of you.”

He kissed me again, with more passion than before, then lifted