My hands are shaking. My lips won’t stop trembling as I lean forward and, with my free hand, press my palm to his cheek, look him in the eyes, and say, “I love you, Jonah. I’m so sorry that it took me this long to say it to you.” I rub my thumb over his cheek. “But I do, I love you so much, and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.”
The corners of his mouth lift as he gives me the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen. “Christ.” He blinks a few times as he moves even closer. “Come here.” He pulls me onto his lap, and his arm goes around my waist as I settle my hands on his shoulders. “You love me?”
I nod. “I really do. I’ve known for a while. I’ve just been scared. This feeling I have for you, it’s so powerful, it’s so real, I was afraid that maybe you didn’t return the feeling.”
He chuckles. “You don’t need to worry about that. Pretty sure I loved you before you even considered looking my way.” He rests his forehead against mine. “Is it too soon to beg you to move in with me?”
I laugh as tears fall from my eyes. “How about we go on a date first?”
“Okay, date first, then you move in with me.”
“Date first, the bedroom next, and then we talk about possibly moving in.”
He smirks. “Sounds like a plan, baby.”
He closes the space between us and kisses me. A searing kiss that tears through me from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. His kiss claims me, showing me that no matter what happens, no matter what journey we take, I’m his. He’s mine. And together, we’re so meant to be.
Epilogue
JP
“I’m so nervous. What if I say the wrong thing?” I ask Kelsey as my leg bounces up and down in the back of the car while we wait to be called upon.
“I don’t think you can say the wrong thing in this moment.” She brushes my hair to the side. “I think you should just speak with your heart.”
I rub my sweaty palms on my leg. “That’s what I’m afraid of. If I speak with my heart, I might sound crazy.”
Kelsey gives me a gentle once-over and lightly smiles. “JP, honey, I think you’ve already reached the limit of crazy.”
I glance down at my custom-made pigeon shirt and then back at my girl. “I asked you if I looked nice, and you said yes.”
“You do, you look very nice. Stop being nervous and go out there and meet the bird that started it all.”
I take a deep breath. “You’re right. You’re totally right. I need to just be myself.”
“He’ll love you.”
“You think so?” I ask, hope springing in my chest.
“It’s hard not to love you.” She leans forward and kisses me on the lips, soft and sweet, helping me relax before the door is opened on my side.
“Mr. Cane,” our driver says. “They’re ready for you.”
“Fuck. Okay. God, don’t puke, JP, don’t puke,” I say to myself before stepping out of the car. I turn around and offer Kelsey my hand, helping her out as well.
Ever since our night in my backyard, we’ve been inseparable. That night, we danced under the stars, holding each other the entire time. Even when we ate cake, she sat on my lap, never wanting to be too far away. And then, when we turned off the lights, I took her up to my room where we made love. It was the best sex I’ve ever had, filled with emotion, and with the knowledge that this was the start of a new chapter for us.
I took her on that date she asked for. We went to one of her favorite pizza places in LA, and it was not great. She said she used to go there all the time when she was young. I told her we weren’t going anywhere she went to when she was young . . . again. When I drove her back to her place, I stayed the night and asked her to move in.
It took about twenty more dates until she finally said yes to my question, a question I asked every night. And every time, she said maybe, never giving me a straight answer until a few weeks ago. She moved in last weekend, and I can honestly say, it’s the best feeling in the world. Now I just have to plan when I’m going to propose, because it’s going to happen. I’m not letting her go.
With my hand in Kelsey’s, we walk around to a tented-off area, where Tammy, the woman in charge of the pigeon rescue, greets us.
“Mr. and Mrs. Cane, I’m so glad you could make it.”
I don’t bother correcting her, because I really like the sound of it. “Thank you for having me and the wifey.” I squeeze Kelsey’s hand and can practically feel her eye roll. “Is, uh . . . is Kazoo here?”