“You stupid, crazy man,” I laugh quietly, reaching for him again.
He looks at me and that stupid grin I’ve fallen in love with pulls across his lips. “Crazy about you, Sunny. Only ever you.”
My breath catches in my throat. “I—uh—I wanted to talk to you about some stuff.”
He shakes his head. “It’s okay, Sunny. It can wait until later.”
“No, it can’t,” I say in a rush, my eyes searching his as I scoot closer to him. I reach up to his face, cupping either side with my hands. The words tumble from my lips without another moment of hesitation. “I’m in love with you, Matteo. I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid.”
“Sunny,” he rasps, lifting his right hand to brush the hair from my face. He tucks it around my ear. “I know,” he murmurs,his tongue darting out to wet his lips. “You scare the shit out of me, but I know you’re worth the risk.”
“I shouldn’t have let what those women said get to me. I should have listened to you… should have trusted you.” I slowly search his eyes. “We all have pasts, but that’s where it should stay. In the past. It doesn’t define you and it doesn’t make you who you are.”
“I would have never even looked at any of those women if I knew one day I would find you,” he says. “However, I don’t regret anything that’s happened in my life because ultimately, it led me to you.”
Warmth spreads through my chest and my heart constricts. “You called me your girlfriend.”
Mischief dances in his eyes as he smirks. “I’m manifesting, baby.”
My stomach flutters. “Can we maybe make that a thing?”
His brow furrows. “Manifesting?”
“No,” I giggle, shaking my head. “Me being your girlfriend.”
His eyes widen slightly, and he tilts his head to the side. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously,” I assure him, my voice soft. “I’m ready to risk it all with you, Matteo.”
His expression warms and he stares back at me, his gaze unwavering, resting on mine with nothing but tender adoration. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say, the intensity of his eyes filling me to the brim with something I’ve never truly felt with anyone before.Love.I pull his face closer to mine, his mouth but a breath away. “I am.”
And then his lips find mine… just as they always have a habit of doing.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
MATTEO
“My life before Clara felt so insignificant now. The present moment with her was all I ever wanted.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
Soft light spills into the room from the morning sun. I slowly lift my eyelids, lying still as I breathe deep, filling my lungs with oxygen and the scent of her. It’s quiet and calm and I feel the warmth of her against my right side.
My left-hand throbs as my body begins to wake up and I raise my arm, inspecting the splint wrapped around my hand and half of my forearm. Instinctively, I flex my fingers and a sharp, hot pain shoots up my arm.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, wincing from the sensation. The splint is bulky and awkward, weighing my arm down. I broke my wrist when I was a kid, but it’s been years since I’ve had anything like this happen.
Thankfully the X-rays showed it was a clean break. They splinted it in the emergency room and scheduled an appointment for me to see ortho next week. They wouldn't cast it because of the swelling, so hopefully ortho will be able to cast it next week.
I don’t know how long I’ll be out with a broken hand, although if the internet proves to be right, I’m looking at a minimum of six weeks for healing.
Coach is going to kill me. I’m lucky we still won the game even after the shit I pulled.
The warmth beside me shifts and she exhales, groaning softly. I pull my gaze away from the window on the left side of my room to look at Jade nestled against my side. The blankets are pulled up to her chin, just the way she likes it.
Her arm tightens a bit around my ribs, her fingers curling against my skin. She lets out another deep breath, stirring in her sleep. Her hair is strewn across the pillowcase and I take a mental picture of her like this.
I’ve seen her in my bed plenty of times now, but never like this. Never waking up next to me as my girlfriend.