Page 136 of Icebound

“You’re not holding me back. You’re setting me free.” His fingers tighten around my waist. “I only want those things if I get to have them with you. If it means waiting, then I will.” His glassy eyes bouncing between mine like he’s nervous. “Do you want them with me or not?”

“Yes, of course I want them with you. I’m just not ready for them yet. I still want all those things, but it doesn’t change that I’m leaving.”

“What if I came with you?” he slurs. “To Argentina? I’m shit at pottery, but I’ll make a vase for you. I want to be with you for always.”

A laugh bubbles out of me at his blurry words. He’s painting a pretty picture with his idealistic dreams, but I’m not going to latch onto an alcohol-laden promise.

“Okay, Rhode. You can come with me.”

“No. I’m serious,” he mumbles, pulling back to frown at me with half-lidded eyes. “I’m coming with you.”

“Okay, okay,” I say to soothe his drunken rambling. “You can come with me to Argentina, and we’ll build a life together there.”

He buries his head in my neck, his shoulders loosening. “Good, because I know I’m a little drunk, alright, a lot drunk, but I love you so damn much. I think you’re honest, even though you lied about being a doctor, but pottery’s better, and I love that you stand up for me, and you make me feel like my life isn’t over. This isn’t how I wanted to tell you, so you don’t have to say it back, and right now, your head’s spinning, or maybe it’s my head, and I think I’ll forget if you say it, and I don’t want to forget hearing you say you love me.”

He hiccups.

I laugh.

The man’s so drunk and so silly and so mine.

As I stroke his hair, I realize Rhode Tremblay could’ve so easily stayed a stranger. If I hadn’t walked in on Gwen and Isaac that night, if she’d never been with him in the first place, I wouldn’t have met this incredible man.

Our lives would’ve been orbiting around each other, maybe crossing, but probably not. My throat tightens as I stare at his smoky lashes fanning across his cheeks.

Rhode blurts out those three little words like they’re too big to be contained while I’ve locked my love for him in a treasure box. I thought if I never said the words, I could take them back, but I don’t want to be the type that hoards love for no one to see.

I want to love loud.

I run my fingers through his hair, pulling at the strands in that way that always makes his cerulean eyes darken. “I know the punchline.”

His brows come together. “What punchline?”

“To our terrible joke.” I press my smile to his warm whiskey lips. “The doctor falls in love with the plumber.”

Rhode blinks like he’s trying to process my words, but when his brain seems to make the connection, a huge grin cracks across his face, lighting him up with contagious happiness. “You love me?”

“Of course I love you, Rhode Tremblay, and when you wake up tomorrow with a pounding headache, I’ll say it again to remind you.”

His lips slam into mine with so much force, we nearly tumble off the couch.

The kiss is demanding. Raw. Real.

Our tongues tangle in what’s becoming a familiar dance. We eventually run out of air and pull back to catch our breath. He presses his forehead to mine, thumbs brushing my cheeks.

Nose to nose. Chest to chest. Heart to heart.

Rhode looks how I feel, a bit stunned. A little hungry for more.

After we kiss and love each other thoroughly, very thoroughly, we drift off to sleep, naked in each other’s arms.

We wake up the next morning the same way, and the day after that, and the day after that, until one morning, Rhode’s gone. There’s a note on his nightstand, scrawled in his surprisingly romantic handwriting.

Sorry to leave you, beautiful girl. I would’ve rather stayed in your arms, but I have a press conference at the arena later today. It’s at five and I want you there. It’s important to me. I’ve got news. Good news (:

A press conference? He’s been working his ass off in rehab every day this week, and I hope this means he’s announcing his comeback next season.

Grabbing my purse, I head back to my place to get more clothes since I can’t live in Rhode’s sweats, no matter how good they smell. I text Gwen to let her know I’m on my way, but she doesn’t respond.