“And if I want to stay here?” Her eyes found mine, and the breath stalled in my lungs.

“Of course,” I said, finally finding the air in the room.

Her shoulders relaxed, and she flashed me a soft smile. “Good,” she said. “Because I feel safe here. Not that I have a reason to not feel safe but—”

I cut off her ramble with my lips against hers. Kissing away the blame and guilt she kept pointing at herself. The way she continued to brush off her past like it hadn’t haunted her continuously. Like there wasn’t a part of her that would always be afraid after what had happened. I knew it didn’t matter how fast or how far it had gone—it was an act of betrayal, something she’d never seen coming and could never forget.

Her fingers were in my hair, tugging me closer. She kissed me harder, longer, her breaths full and deep between my lips as if she was siphoning the energy from within me. I snaked my arms around her waist, hefting her onto my lap and locking her above me. Letting her be in control, letting her take whatever she wanted…needed to feel.

I wanted to kiss her and breathe into her until she found herself again. Wanted to claim her mouth until there was no doubt in her mind that I loved her. That I needed her on a level I couldn’t comprehend. Wanted to show her what my heart screamed but my tongue was too afraid to say out loud.

“Dean,” she said, sighing as she broke our kiss, her forehead against mine, a leg on either side of my hips. I held her warm body over mine, terrified to move.

“Pixie.” I breathed slowly to ease the race in my heart. The demand for more in my core.

She didn’t release the soft grip on my hair as she moved away enough to lock eyes with me. “I love you.” Her breath was warm on my lips as she said the words. “I know that’s fast,” she hurried on. “That it’s only been five months and probably way too soon after everything that happened. But—”

“Pixie,” I said, smiling as I cupped her cheek. “Always trying to top me.”

“What?” she whispered.

“You had to say it first.” I smiled. “I love you. So damn much. Couldn’t help it. Despite what we kept saying, that neither of us wanted this.” I kissed her quickly. “Guess it’s what we needed.”

She kissed me again, soft and sweet. When she pulled back, she laughed. “This is kind of intense, huh?”

“Yeah,” I said, gazing up at her. “I can put on some T-Swift if it’ll lighten the mood?”