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She blinked. "That's quite a visual."
He nodded. "I decided I'm willing to risk the knives."
Her heart started to pound. "What does that mean?"
"Love nearly destroyed me," he said. "I believed in love until it wrecked me." He paused again. "But you made me believe in it again."
She froze. "What?"
He met her gaze. "I wasn't ready to love, Piper, until I fell in love with you."
Her heart started racing. Panic seemed to close around her. Panic because his words made her so happy, and she knew what stupid choices she'd made around love. "Declan, I?—"
He shook his head. "Nothing for you to say, Piper. I don't want anything from you. I just wanted you to know that you're loved,and it doesn't mean you're trapped. You're simply loved. You healed my heart and my soul. I don't live in darkness anymore, because of you."
Tears filled her eyes. "You deserve so much more than to live in darkness, Declan."
He inclined his head. "Darkness sucks, but you don't realize how dark it is until you're out of it." He took a breath. "If you decide you want more than our current fake-engagement-with-benefits situation, I'm in all the way. But if you don't, it's okay. Going into business with my mom has nothing to do with me. Just wanted you to know that." He stood up. "I'm going to go finish dinner."
"That's it?" She stared after him as he walked away. She was so stunned by his words. He loved her?He loved her. This amazing man thought she was special? "You drop that nugget and walk away?"
"I have to." He went back to the kitchen counter and picked up his knife. "I'm not going to trap you, Piper. But Dylan asked me if you were simply scared and that was why you didn't want more, or if you really didn’t want more. He got me thinking, so I asked."
She took a breath. "I'm scared," she said softly. "I'm terrified."
He smiled gently. "I am too, sweetheart. But I saw my parents lose out because they were afraid to try, and I'm trying not to let that happen to me. So, I love you with no pressure."
"Declan, if I wanted—" She stopped. If she wanted what? God, she'd gone down this road before and been so wrong. Her heart was aching for him, skipping with joy because of his words, longing for him.
She trusted him. But did she trust herself?
He turned around, his brows shooting up. "If you wanted what?"
She swallowed, her hands shaking. "If I wanted?—"
His gaze shot past her toward the front of the cottage. "Expecting company?"
She spun around to see a Range Rover pull up in front of her cottage. "No—" Then she yelped when she saw Dick get out.
Declan swore. "Stay here. Do not come outside, no matter what. This is mine to handle. Angel, with me." He charged the door, yanked it open. "Do not come out," he repeated. "This man targets women. He's mine." He then bolted outside, slamming the door shut behind him before she could even move.
Piper froze, her heart racing as she watched him stride up to Dick.
He didn't hesitate, because he didn't have to. He was a tall, muscular ex-cop with a gun.
The world didn't scare him.
But then she remembered that it did.
At least, love did.
Love. The man who'd rushed outside to protect her, loved her.
What was she going to do about that?
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Declan had his hand on the butt of his gun as he strode up to Dick. "What do you want?"
