- Sebastian -
er face fell with the box, but I was quick enough to catch the latter.
“I don’t—what’s—where’s—?”
“Take a deep breath,” I said, setting the open box on the table by the door.
Lily stepped inside and looked around before setting her sights back on me. “What’s going on? Where’s Vivian?”
“I like Vivian and everything, but I really only have room for one of you.”
She furrowed her brow. “But she—and the van—”
“You’re cute when you’re speechless.”
She blushed.
“Will I catch you up?”
She nodded. “Please.”
“Vivian and I—”
“You don’t even know her.”
“Actually I do,” I said. “She called and gave me an earful a few days ago.”
Her eyes grew wide.
“I guess she thought I was being an asshole.”
She scrunched her face.
“Anyway, I charmed her instantly.”
She rolled her eyes.
“And she was all too happy to go along with my idea.”
“Which was what?” she asked. “To ambush me?”
“I thought you’d be excited.”
“I might be if I knew what the hell was going on.”
“You’re moving in with me.”
“But she’s—”
“Moving in with Tiffany.”
“Tiffany,” she repeated. “Shit.”
“Everybody wins,” I said. “I mean, I win most, but—”
“You haven’t called me in weeks.”
“I didn’t know what to say.”
She craned her neck forward.
“I still don’t.”
She covered her face.
“I only know what I feel,” I said, pulling her hands down and holding them in mine. “Which is that I love you, Lily. I’m always going to love you.”
“But what about everything I told you? What about everything I’ve done?”
“I’ve thought about it,” I said. “All of it. A lot.”
She swallowed. “And?”
“And I can forgive your past. I can forgive everything.”
Her eyes searched mine.
“In fact, turns out there’s only one thing I can’t forgive.”
“What’s that?”
“Myself, if I let you slip away again.”
“Sebastian—”
“It occurred to me that you might want to start over, that you might prefer to take things slow, but I don’t want that. I don’t want to waste any more time pretending I don’t know what I want. Because I do know.”
She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on my hands.
“It’s you, Lily. It’s always been you, and it’s always going to be you. And nothing you told me changes any of that.”
“But—”
“I don’t want to hear any buts,” I said. “Excuses and doubts have never done anything but come between us.”
She glanced down at our clasped hands, and I studied the way her dark lashes looked against her cheeks.
“I want to make up for lost time. I want to wake up beside you every morning. And to be honest, I’ve come to the conclusion that you make terrible decisions when I let you out of my sight.”
She laughed.
“I’m glad you think that’s funny,” I said. “Because I’m liable to go straight up caveman on anyone who even looks at you sideways from now on.”
“I can protect myself.”
“Bullshit. I want the job.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to be a liability for you, Sebastian. I don’t want to be one more thing you have to worry about.”
“Tell me what you want then.”
“I want you to look at me the way you did before I told you all that stuff.”
“Do you not feel like I’m doing that?”
“No, you are,” she said, her eyes smiling. “I just mean that’s enough. It’s more than enough. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
My heart swelled. “I love you, Lily. I hope someday we can laugh about the day I tricked you into moving in with me.”
She sighed. “That was a pretty good trick.”
“It would’ve been better if all your stuff was already here when you showed up. Then it would be way harder for you to back out.”
“I’m not going to back out,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve never been so happy to skip ahead.”
“It was inevitable, though, wasn’t it? This? Us?” I pushed some hair out of her face. “Do you believe that as much as I do?”
“I do.”
I pulled her to me and held her head against my chest. “Thank you for not being pissed.”
She leaned back. “Pissed?! This is the best surprise of my life! Don’t get me wrong. Vivian was a great roommate, but you’re way sexier.”
“And you haven’t even seen my slippers yet.”
“Oh wow. So much to look forward to.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“Exactly when is my stuff going to arrive?” she asked, looking around. “Not that I don’t love what you’ve done with the place.”
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“Right.” She tilted her head at me. “Do your parents know?”
“They’re under strict instructions to pretend they don’t.”
“What?”
“So we can surprise them at dinner on Sunday.”
Her eyebrows jumped. “You guys still do that?”
“Until the day my mom stops cooking, the Rodriguez boys will keep showing up for dinner.”
“So everyone knew you were going to ambush me like this?”
“Of course,” I said. “You think I’d have the cojones to do this without some familial support?”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Thank me? Thank me for what?”
“For loving me anyway,” she said. “Despite everything. For opening up your home to me, for sharing your family with me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. My family’s always thought you were my nicest quality.”
She laughed.
“And as far as my home, it’s only felt like a home since you got here. So thank you.”
She rose up on her tippy-toes and threw her arms around my neck. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I am so grateful.”
“That red dress had a lot to do with it,” I said. “And that time you let me hold your pigtails while—”
She smacked my chest. “Don’t ruin the moment with smut.”
“Sorry, too soon?” I pretended to check my watch. “How long until you’re up for it then because I’ve been counting down to this surprise for—”
She groaned.
“Wait, hold still.”
She froze as I plucked the stray eyelash from her cheek.
“No way,” she said. “You go.”
I shook my head. “I already got my wish.”
She cocked her head.
“I’m looking at her.”
One corner of her mouth curled up.
I extended my pointer finger and held it level with her lips.
She glanced at the rogue lash and then back at me. “Are you sure?”
“I insist.”
She took a quick breath and blew the lash into oblivion.
“Well?” I asked.
“Well what?”
“Did you wish your stuff would carry itself up here because you’re never leaving?”
“Close.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“I wished you would carry me down the hall and give me the long overdue tour of your bedroom.”
I smiled and bent down to scoop her up. “Your wish, mi amor, is my command.”