Page 122 of Ice Cold Chemistry
She watches me. Waiting. Blue eyes steady.
“I told myself I was protecting you. That I didn’t want to worry you until I knew something for sure.” I look down for a second, then back at her. “But that was bullshit. I was protecting myself. I was scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“Of needing you.” It hurts to say. Like pressing on a bruise you didn’t know was there. “Of letting myself want something I might lose. I’ve spent my whole life bracing for people to leave, Win. It’s the only thing I know how to do. And when the trade stuff started, I just—I went back to that. Built the walls up before it could hurt.”
“I wasn’t going anywhere.” Her voice is quiet.
She uncrosses her arms. Steps closer.
“When you started working at the facility,” I say, “all I wanted to do was help you. Look out for you.”
“You did.” Her voice is small.
“I never thought I’d—” I stop. Start again. “I didn’t expect to fall for you. But I did, Win. I really did.”
She bites her lip. Her eyes are getting glassy.
“I don’t deserve a girl like you,” I say. “I know that. But if you’ll let me, I’d like to try again.” A breath. “I don’t know if I can make you happy. But I’d try. I’d try for you—to be everything you need—because to me,you’re—” My throat tightens. “You’re perfect, Win. And I love you.”
A single tear slips down her cheek.
“I love you too.”
I go still.
“Wait.” My voice barely comes out. “Really?”
She nods, and she’s half-crying, half-smiling now.
I don’t think. I just reach for her—arms around her, pulling her in, her face tucking against my chest like she belongs there, because she does. She wraps her arms around me and holds on, and I press my face into her hair, and I feel everything in me go quiet for the first time in weeks.
“Say it again,” I murmur into her hair.
She pulls back just enough to look up at me. “I love you, Banksy.”
I smile. I can’t help it. “Win.”
“Tough guy.”
I kiss her.
It starts soft. It doesn’t stay that way for long.
“Okay, wow.” Logan’s voice cuts through the hallway, and I feel Winnie laugh against my mouth before I pull back. He’s standing there with his hands clapped over his chest, blinking like he just witnessed something that broke his brain. “That was—I don’t know if I want to cheer or cry. I think I’m going to do both.”
“Walk away, Logan,” I say.
“I’m emotionally processing right now, Banks, give me a second.”
Winnie buries her face in my chest, laughing.
“I have literally never heard you say that manywords in a row,” Logan announces. “In four years.” He presses both hands to his cheeks. “I feel like I witnessed history.”
“Logan.”
“Walking away,” he says, backing down the hall with both hands raised. “Walking away. Giving you your moment. Totally not going to tell everyone in the locker room about this.” He pauses. “Okay, I’m definitely going to tell everyone, but I’ll be respectful about it.”
