Page 52 of My Single Dad Biker

She looks at me for a second and then reaches up and kisses me quickly. "You're trouble."

"Just figuring that out?"

We finish making dinner and eat together and Louis talks about the movie he's watching and asks if Katherine can stay again tonight.

I look at her and she looks at me and says yes before I can ask.

After dinner Louis has his bath and I read to him and he's asleep by eight-thirty. I come back downstairs and Katherine is on the back porch sitting in one of the chairs looking out at the dark yard.

I grab two beers from the fridge and go outside and hand her one. Sit in the chair next to hers. We drink in silence for a minute and the night is quiet except for crickets and the distant sound of a car on the main road.

My chest feels tight. I've been carrying this all day and now it's time to say it.

"Katherine."

She turns to look at me. "Yes?"

"I need to tell you something."

"Okay."

I set my beer down and lean forward with my elbows on my knees. Look at her in the dark. "I love you."

She goes completely still. "Holt."

"I'm not asking you to say it back. I'm just telling you. I love you. I've known since Thursday but I wanted to wait until it felt right to say it and tonight feels right."

She sets her beer down and I watch her face in the dim light from the kitchen window. Her eyes are bright. Her mouth is soft. She's looking at me like I just gave her something she's been waiting for.

"Can I say something?" she asks quietly.

"Yeah."

"I love you too."

Something in my chest that I didn't know was locked opens completely. "Say it again."

"I love you, Holt."

"Again."

"I love you. I've known since Thursday morning. Since waking up here and making pancakes and watching you with him. I wanted to tell you but I wasn't sure if you were ready to hear it."

I stand up and pull her out of her chair and into my arms. She comes willingly, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I hold her so tight I'm probably hurting her but she doesn't complain.

"Say it again," I say against her hair.

"I love you."

I pull back enough to cup her face in both hands. Look at her. "You and Louis are my whole life now. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

"Good."

I kiss her and she kisses me back and it's different from every other time. Not desperate. Not urgent. Just certain. We kiss for a long time on my back porch with her in my arms and the night around us and when we finally pull apart we're both breathing hard.

"Come inside," she says.