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I blink twice, momentarily struck speechless by her assuered by it, especially when leaving her is the last thing on my mind

"Did you honestly think I would leave you after you told me all that?"

"Yes," she whispers, "How can you love someone who isn’t whole?"

I close the distance between us in two long strides She doesn’t back away froet in her face I wish it was possible to show her what she looks like through my eyes I want her to see the incredible, beautiful and strong Huntley that I am in awe of every day I need her to know that…

"I’m in love with you," I blurt out

Her eyes widen and brim with tears "What?"

I cup her face and look into her eyes "I’m in love with you Huntley"

"You can’t be Gray How can you love so that is broken?"

"You are so determined to hide your broken soul that you don’t see how beautiful those pieces make you You have completely disarmed me Huntley, you have left my heart and soul naked and all I want is for you to see that I aoddamn broken piece of you I don’t want anyone else"

She shakes her head and I wipe away her tears with my thumbs

"I’m in love with you too," she cries, "And it terrifies me"

"This terrifies me too baby, but I need you to let me in Let me see beneath your beautiful"

I press my lips to hers Her arms slide aroundbut our clothes separating us I lift her up and her legs tighten around my waist I ently

I hover above her for a briefbutterfly kisses down her neck Her mouth is close to my ear and her warh my body

"Grayson," her voice is soft and vulnerable "Make love to me"

I s hard I’ve never really made love before, not the way I want to with Huntley After this, everything between us will change I need to share my secrets with her, to trust her the way she has chosen to trusther how I feel