Page 85 of Finding My Charming

His gaze dropped back to his hands while he nodded.

“So, if I said that from the first moment I met him, he caught my eye, even if he did drive me crazy on purpose. That he’s been on my mind for weeks, and I can’t stop thinking about him. That he’s been the first to ever want to know me for me and not to get to my sister or friends, and for that reason alone, I’ll always think of him as the greatest guy I’ve ever met. That his thoughtfulness is his most attractive quality — well, after his smile — and that I admire him for his work ethic and dedication to his family. That I want to keep getting to know him, and that I’m terrified right now, and I would really, really appreciate it if he would say something.”

My eyes didn’t leave his face during my entire speech, but he gave nothing away. My heart was racing as if I’d just finished running a marathon, and I was pretty certain I was going to begin hyperventilating in a few seconds if he didn’t say something.

“Me?”

It was a barely audible whisper, but I caught it. I nodded several times before realizing he wasn’t watching me since he was still staring down.

“Yeah. You.”

He inhaled sharply and shoved his hands through his hair. This was not at all what I’d expected moments ago when I made the split-second decision to tell him.

Seconds felt like hours while I watched him, waiting for his next move.

Slowly, so painfully slow, he turned and met my eyes. “Elle.”

I gasped when he said my name. It dripped with sadness and heartbreak. I was the idiot! So unbelievably stupid! Of course he was talking about any other guy on the planet being lucky to be with me, just not him.

Before he could completely shatter my heart, I grabbed my bag and stood. I made it three steps before a hand wrapped around my arm and tugged me back. I was spun around, and I closed my lids tight so he couldn’t see the tears building.

“Elise, I can’t believe it.” He let out a heavy breath. “I was sitting there believing you were telling me how you felt about that other guy. I couldn’t let myself think or even hope that you would feel the same way about me.”

I slowly opened my eyes and took in his face etched with pain and remorse.

“I’m so sorry, but it took a while for my brain to make sense of what you were saying. Of what you meant.” He ducked down, so he was at my eye-level. “I really, really like you, Elise. So much. It’s been very unsettling over the past few weeks how much I felt for you, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought…”

His words faded as his lips crept closer to mine until I couldn’t handle it any longer and pressed into him. Our lips touched lightly at first as if neither of us could believe what was happening. I felt a burst from within.

Warm. Sweet. Peace.

This was how every kiss was meant to be. His lips pressed firmly against mine then relaxed before starting again. So much was being said with his kiss. Finally.

Passion was all I could feel. This was it. This was real.

I opened my mouth with a small gasp, and his tongue slipped in and traced against mine. His hands moved from my arms and slid up until he was cradling my neck. My body fell into his as if an invisible thread pulled me to him.

If this were a movie, fireworks would be going off in the background, and music would be playing until the screen faded to black. But this was not a movie. It was better!

When we broke apart, we were both a little breathless. Our eyes met, and we seemed to be thinking the same thing. Is this real?

His hands slid from my neck to my cheeks, and his thumbs gently traced from my chin to my lids. “You are the most beautiful woman in the world.”

It didn’t matter how many times I’d heard those words said to anyone else, real or fiction. Hearing them come from Dallin made me soar.

The most handsome man I’d even known with the biggest heart thought I was beautiful. For the first time, it was me.

Not my sisters.

Not Ari.

Me.

Chapter 26

this week had been a complete mess, the good kind, but a mess, nonetheless. Not only had I admitted my doubts about studying law aloud and to my dad of all people, but I spent time with Grandma and even kissed the guy I liked.

Some might think that was too much to handle, and they would be correct. People should only be allowed to have one major, life-changing event occur per week — or even month.