“I think I was so distant from you because you scared the shit out of me.” I laughed humorlessly as he pressed soft kisses to my neck. “The things you made me want, I was terrified of letting myself have them. I didn’t know what would happen if I got you and then you realized I wasn’t enough. From that first night, I knew you could be everything I ever needed and the thought of getting so much and losing it...” I shuddered out a gusty breath. “It terrified me.”

I shut my eyes hard after saying that, and without speaking Easton pushed up and pressed his mouth to mine. Soft, perfect lips, tongue hot as it stole into my mouth.

Like breathing.

Kissing him was as natural as breathing and it still scared the shit out of me to think about not having that anymore.

“I was gone from the moment Nesto introduced us,” Easton continued, making me flush with all the praise. “Gone. But you know what it is that will keep me here forever? The man that you are. Your love for your community, wherever you are. Your courage. You, just you.”

Fuck, this man was going to wreck me before I got to talk. “Okay, my turn.” I had shit to say too, dammit. “I love that you’re my soft landing. I can say things to you I’m scared to even tell myself.”

He groaned. “Patrice.”

A flush crept up his neck, but I kept going, he was going to hear all of it. “Your willingness to learn. That you’re not perfect, and you know it means more work, but you’re ready to do it. How you want to know about my history and my people, not like it’s a novelty, but because you care and you want to learn how to love what I love. And because you stayed unafraid to love me, even when I let you down.” That last part, I had to choke out, as my throat convulsed from emotion. That was another development of life with Easton, I cried now.

“I guess we’re really into each other and super sappy.” I could only laugh at Easton’s bullshit.

“I think Ms. B’s evil plan to get us all into our feelings has been a success,” I conceded, not annoyed in the slightest.

“She’s good,” Easton said with genuine admiration. “I really thought I could get you naked while doing this, instead I made us both cry. And we’re not even done,” he grumbled, as he looked around for the forgotten notepad and paper. He lifted the discarded sheet with one hand while he hooked the other one around my neck.

“Okay, last one,” he said with a big-ass grin. “Three goals for the future.”