The stubble of his evening scruff scraped over my palm as I cupped the side of his face. Our gazes latched on to each other, unflinching, unbreakable. “I love you too. With everything inside me, I love you, Ryan. Not just as my best friend, but as the man I want to grow old with.”

He pressed his forehead to mine as he inhaled deeply. I could feel the tension draining out of his muscles, except for the hardness between his legs that was still stabbing against my abdomen. That part of him only grew thicker, jerking against me insistently. “Please marry me. Run away with me. We can get fake identification that says you’re eighteen. I’ll pay off the priest. Whatever it takes, I’ll make it happen. Become my wife, Nova. Tonight. Put me out of my misery and stay by my side for the rest of eternity.”

I would have been lying if I said the idea didn’t hold serious appeal. But even though I knew he loved me, I hesitated. He’d been planning our future since he was eight years old. It was crazy, but nothing less than I would have expected from Ryan. When he put his mind to something, it was rare to get him to change course.

But my fear was that one day he would wake up and realize it was a mistake. I wanted the extra time for him more than myself. It would show us both if this was the right path for us. Because as much as I wanted to be with him forever, I wanted his happiness more. And the thought that I might one day make him miserable was a fear I couldn’t easily erase.

“I already gave you my answer, Ryan,” I told him quietly.

With a groan, he released me. “Fine. We can revisit this discussion later. Shower. I’ll get us food.”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I gave him a small smile and watched as he left the room. The bathroom was smaller than the one I had at the Vitucci compound, but nonetheless beautiful. The shower was all smooth sandstone with a rain shower head mounted to the ceiling and two handhelds that attached to the walls on either side. The entire back wall had six larger shower heads that could be turned on individually.

While the water warmed, I explored the rest of the bathroom. The counter held double sinks, with only one looking as if it were in use. One toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste were in a holder, and Ryan’s razor and a comb were neatly laid out beside a folded hand towel. The toilet was off in one corner, with a sliding door to offer added privacy.

Opening the small closet beside the shower, I took out two towels and a washcloth before pushing my panties over my hips and letting them fall to the floor. Stepping under the spray, I whimpered at the heat and gentle jets as they rained down on me.