He felt her fingers begin to twitch, heard her toes curl up in her shoes. The lip biting, the wetting eyes. She’d gotten the wrong idea. Chase wanted to kick himself in the stomach.
“No, no, it is!” Hurried hands cupped her face in his hands, looking straight into her eyes. “It is, I-I…you have no idea…”
She was so fragile for such a strong woman. He admired that in her, how she held the ability to be stone-cold and yet precious at the same time. A sweetheart and a headstrong mule. She was everything, wrapped up and tied with a pretty bow.
Chase sighed through his nose, closing his eyes for a moment. He was gonna say it. They were being crazy, right? No holding back. No regrets. “I’m in love with you, Brooklyn. And…I’m perfectly okay with living as your best friend though my feelings aren’t returned - I’m okay with that! But…I don’t want you to do anything you aren’t sure about. That you aren’t ready for or don’t want. I don’t…” There was no way to get out everything he had to say and it was seriously frustrating him. No words that he could find would heal that broken gaze plastered on her face. “I have to protect you and watch over you. I love you too much to ever let you do anything that might cause you grief or something.”
Brooklyn quickly wiped her eyes. She hated crying, it made her feel weak. Trying to process what Chase had said was almost too much. He was in love with her. Having someone love her was something she had always wanted.
Cracking her fingers again, she struggled to find the words to say. “I’ve always loved you, Chase…” She began, her voice cracking in four different places. “You’re my best friend and the one person who’s crazy enough to keep me sane.” The words to say what she wanted weren’t coming… There were so many thoughts. “I’ve always loved you as my best friend… But tonight, something happened. I realized that you were the one person who’s always kept me safe, the one person who I know I don’t have to be nervous about because I know you won’t hurt me.” Another tear fell and she cursed herself again. “I’ve been looking for you my whole life, Chase… You’ve been right here.” Her voice betrayed her and cracked again. “Being with you won’t cause me any pain… It never has.”
Brooklyn didn’t know any other words to describe what she wanted to say to him, so she leaned in again. Through the kiss she tried to say the things she’d been trying to. Pulling away and looking at him, she could only hope he understood
Chase couldn’t help but smile. His grip on her face tightened slightly as he pulled her to him, kissing her multiple times, over and over, everywhere, in between words. “I love you,” he said confidently. “God, I love you, Brooklyn.”
His lips captured hers, kissing her much harder this time. Quick and fast, letting it pour out of him as it came. “I’d never hurt you,” he said with his lips still on hers, “I’d never dream of being the cause of your pain. I’d never…do anything…to hurt you…never, you know that, right? I promise. You mean everything to me, Brooklyn. You’re why I’m still breathing.”
Sniffling, his smile brightened. His eyes washed over her face, trying to make sure this wasn’t just a dream. “You’re my world.”
