Some might say having feelings so strong with someone you’ve known for only a few months can’t be real. Some might say that there needs to be a longer period to truly fall for someone, but I’ve spent enough time with Cassidy to know who she is, to know how my day brightens when she’s around and how my mind constantly wanders to her when she’s not.

“Hmm … anything I want you to be.” She scoots in closer, nearly on my lap. “I’d say my husband, my baby daddy, the man obsessed with me.”

I chuckle. “Give us some time, and I can be all of those things, baby.”

She chews on her lower lip, excitement and nervousness prevalent in her expression. “I’m scared, though.”

I raise a brow. “Scared of what?”

“Scared to take the leap with you, to hand myself over to someone and then end up broken. My feelings for you are stronger than what they were with my ex, and what he did tore me apart. If things ended badly between us, it’d kill me, Lincoln.”

I stretch out my legs and nod in understanding. “That’s why I didn’t jump right into having a physical relationship with you.” It’s something we could’ve easily done from the beginning, that could’ve also ended messy. “I wanted to be certain I was comfortable enough for more than sex so that I wouldn’t hurt you. And that time wasn’t to realize how much I liked you; it was if I’d be good for you, if I’d be able to make you happy … and keep you happy.”

“I appreciate that, and I think we both needed that time before jumping into something. My parents’ marriage was a complete joke. High school sweethearts. She invested everything into them, only for him to have an affair and completely screw her over. I don’t want that to be me.”

“I give you my word that I’ll never screw you over. Do you hear me? We’re alike in so many ways. We both are big on loyalty and honesty. I went to prison for having someone’s back. I promise, I’d do the same for you. And I have concerns too.”

She blinks at me. “Like what?”

“You recently got out of a bad relationship. Are you sure you’re ready for another?” Just as scared as she is that I’ll hurt her, I’m scared of putting myself out there too.

“Do you plan on us having a bad relationship?” She furrows her brows.

“Fuck no.”

“Then why would I hold my ex’s actions against you? Our relationship will be a clean slate.”

I shudder. “Other than those few things, which we’ve now settled, you got anything else?”

She shakes her head before releasing a deep sigh. “I’ve got nothing.”

My confidence beams. “So then, take something.”