My voice came out thin and weak. “We’re both wrecks. It’s not just you. I wanted to think it was, but it’s not. I’m a disaster. I feel like I need to relearn everything, especially how to be in love. Where would be even start?
Gus pulled my hands away from my tear-streaked face. His smile was faint, but even in the cloudy light of morning, I could see the dimple creasing his cheek. His hands skated onto my hips, and he pulled me softly against him, tucking his chin on my head. “Here,” he whispered into my hair.
My heart skipped a beat. Was that possible? I wanted it so badly, wanted him in every part of my life, just like he’d said.
“When I watch you sleep,” he said shakily, “I feel overwhelmed that you exist.”
The tears rushed full force into my eyes again. “What if we don’t get a happy ending, Gus?” I whispered
He thought it over, his hands still sliding and tightening and pushing against me like they couldn’t sit still. His dark eyes homed in on mine. As I looked up at him, his gaze was doing the sexy, evil thing, but now it seemed less sexy-evil and more… just Gus.
“Then maybe we should enjoy our happy for now,” Gus said.
“Happy for now.” I tasted the words, rolled them over the back of my tongue like wine. The only promise you ever had in life was the one moment you were living. And I was.
Happy for now.
I could live with that. I could learn to live with that.
Slowly, he began to sway me back and forth again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let his circle my waist and we stood there, learning to dance in the rain.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Published May 19, 2020
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