Page 107 of The Fake Out

“It’s my own fault. I fought so hard to guard my heart that when you did as I asked, it broke me.”

His hand didn’t move, but his eyes searched mine. “So when you woke up, and I was gone, you thought I was gonna let you go?”

I nodded.

“Veronica, I didn’t want to. I wanted to keep you forever. I wanted our relationship to be real because I fell in love with you, too.”

“So when I texted you, that hurt?” I asked.

He nodded. “I wanted to respect your wishes.” He took my hand and placed it above his heart, right where I covered up the tattoo of his ex-girlfriend’s name. “When I told you that you fixed my heart, I didn’t mean my tattoo.”

“Oh,” I breathed out. “Blaise?”

“Yeah, sweets?”

I smiled through the tears. “I love when you call me ‘sweets.’ I may have rolled my eyes the first time, but I love it.”

His thumb continued to caress my cheek. “What else do you love?”

“I love how your whole face lights up when you see me on the other side of the glass. And that we have that ritual that’s just ours. And how you don’t laugh when I ask you a dumb question about hockey because I’m not into sportsball.”

He chuckled. “Sweets, it doesn’t matter to me that you don’t know hockey like the back of your hand. I love that you try to be supportive. That you’re there and you listen to me rant when something’s off with my game. I love seeing you in my jersey.”

“I want to be your girlfriend,” I blurted.

“Yeah?” he asked, his voice dropping to a low whisper. “Not a fake girlfriend?”

I shook my head. “No, baby. I want it to be real. I want you.”

A smile broke out across his face, and then he kissed me, pressing me into his couch. I didn’t mind because my body needed him close. I needed the feel of him again. Then the jerk pulled back.

“Kiss me,” I demanded.

He put a finger on my lips. “Shush, let me say what I gotta say.”

“If it’s not about how much you want to fuck me right now, I don’t want to know.”

He gave me an amused look. “No, sweets. I really want to be your boyfriend, and it was hard letting you go.”

“I’m here, and I don’t want you to let me go now.”

He smiled at me and ran a hand through my hair. “I hate this hair.”

I frowned.

“It’s not you. I never want to be the reason you dimmed your light. I love you, Veronica O’Malley. I didn’t expect it, and I wasn’t looking for a relationship when I met you, but the past months without you… I’ve felt hollow.”

“Worse than when Astrid broke up with you?” I asked.

He nodded. “She was my first love, but you might be my only.”

I slanted my mouth on his again, pretty sure he might be the only man I ever wanted to kiss again. When I pulled away, he looked at me like I hung the moon. I don’t think a man had ever looked at me that way. I thought Seth took my heart when he left, but I think this blue-eyed blonde giant had put it back together.

“You gonna give me a tour of your house?” I teased.

He shook his head. “Later. Tonight, I want to show you how much I love you.”

I laughed when he lifted me up into his arms and carried me upstairs.