“This time?” I ask, not easing the death grip I have on her body despite her trying to pull away.

“Don’t freak out.” She holds her hands up in surrender. “I know it’s too early to use the L-word. So, I say it in my head instead.”

My voice is sharp from the adrenaline surging through every inch of my body. “Since when?”

Jessie bites her bottom lip and looks away, staring at the empty wall over my shoulder. “Since…a while. Does it matter?”

I growl and tighten my arms around her.

“Urgh. Fine. Since our second date.” She tilts her head to the side and studies my face. “Although, I think I’ve been a little bit in love with you since that first kiss.”

Someone put those defibrillator paddles to my chest and yell Clear! My heart stops. No warning. It just up and stops beating. My arms drop to my sides and she stands. My head falls back against the chair and I stare up at the ceiling. My gaze goes blurry and I blink a dozen times. My brain reboots, restarting my heart, and I breathe again. I take it all in. She fucking loves me. I’m so happy that if she cut me, I’d bleed sunshine and rainbows. If I could bottle this feeling, it’d sell better than cocaine and Prozac combined. An amazed snort escapes my throat.

“Well?” she asks.

I snap my head up and I take her in. She’s standing a few feet away, arms crossed, foot tapping. I cock an eyebrow and stare at her, too. “Aren’t you going to say it back?”

“No.”

“Excuse me?” Her voice goes up about twelve octaves. Her arms drop to her sides at the same time as her mouth falls open. “I just told you I’m in love with you.”

“I heard.” I smile at her—a full, unabridged, kid-on-their-first-rollercoaster-excited smile.

“And you’re not going to say it back?” she asks, as if I just told her I was going to grow wings and fly to Mars.

“No.”

“I’m starting to understand why your name rhymes with devil!” I look down at the floor and laugh. This woman is unbelievable. Her false bravado begins to crack and her upper lip quivers. “So, you don’t love me?” I open my mouth to answer, but she holds up a finger. “If you say ‘No,’ so help me—”

“Wasn’t gonna.”

“So you do love me?”

“What do you think?” I smile at this beautiful tornado.

She glares at me. “I think you’re head over heels, Big Man.”

I scoot my chair back, prop my feet up on the table and recline as far as I can. We both glance at my bare feet, a few inches above my head. I wiggle my toes for added emphasis.

“Then just say it!” she screeches.

A devilish grin twists my lips. “No.”