I won’t notice you cut your hair or miss one of the kids’ soccer games. I’m going to hurt your feelings from time to time over the years, but you’re always going to forgive me when I do.”
“I am?”
“Yes, you are, baby. Because, when I’m not unintentionally hurting your feelings, I’ll be trying my best to make sure you’re happy, healthy, and very, very satisfied.” I buried my face in her neck and just inhaled her scent. “I’m going to make sure you never go without and I’m going to do everything and anything I can think of to make sure you don’t regret being with me ever.”
I pulled back and looked into this lovely woman’s face. Her eyes were filling with moisture again and I knew there was no way I could hold back any longer. “I love you, Fiona. I have always loved you and I will always love you. I haven’t lived a single day since I was five years old not loving you and I don’t want to know what it’s like to live a day without loving you. Ever.”
She dropped her head onto my shoulder and, tightening her arms around my neck, she sobbed and sobbed. I didn’t do anything but sit there and hold her as she cried uncontrollably. I didn’t expect her to say it back. I was just finally relieved that I could finally say it to her at all.
Chapter 19
I never stood a chance.
Fiona~
I sat in my office being utterly useless. It was Thursday afternoon, and I was still in a daze from everything Damien confessed on Sunday. I’ll admit I could have reacted with a little bit more decorum, but hearing him tell me he loved me and had always loved me had pushed me over the edge of everything I ever thought was normal. I didn’t know what to feel about his declarations. It had been a lot to take in, and I was still spellbound over it all. To finally have answers to everything that had plagued me for years was uplifting and scary.
When my sobbing had finally subsided, Damien had drawn me a bath, and I soaked in the tub while he put all our stuff away and made dinner. I was so spent from everything that had happened over the weekend that I crawled into bed around seven that evening. Damien joined me in bed and, while I would have gladly submitted to him, he made no move to have sex with me. He simply held me and we fell asleep together. I think it was his way of trying to prove his words of love to me. As much as I would have loved to be taken by him, deep down, I knew it had been the right decision.
The next morning was surreal as we both got ready for work like we’d been doing it for years. We fell into a comfortable silence and it was actually nice. I hadn’t seen him since that Monday morning, and I didn’t know if he was really too busy to make the drive or if he was trying to give me space. I suspected it was the former. He hadn’t become a multi-millionaire by slacking off.
I couldn’t complain though. He made sure to call me every night before I went to sleep. No matter what he was doing, he would take the time to make the phone calls happen. We would talk about our days and our plans for the weeks, normal things like that. And, without fail, he’d tell me he loved me before hanging up. I’ve yet to say it back, but I knew what I felt. The fear of the too-good-to-be-true was the only thing holding me back, honestly.
A knock at the door brought me out of my reverie. “Yes?”
The door opened and a very sexy, very delicious looking Damien Greystone walked through. “Hey, baby.”
I stood up surprised and made my way around the desk. “What are you doing here?”
He let out a small laugh. “Do you think I’ve stayed in San Francisco every night because I was too tired to make the drive to you?”
I wanted to play coy, but after all the honesty he shared with me on Sunday, I figured he deserved the same. “I just thought you might be really busy with G&C being so new to the West Coast and then it crossed my mind that you might be giving me space.” I lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know.”