Page 129 of When Love Takes Root

“Why haven’t you dated in so long?”

I let my fingers slow against her arm. “Because I didn’t trust myself to choose well. After Domonique and after everything with Zeke, I knew my heart could be loyal past wisdom. I needed to learn the difference between wanting somebody and being ready to build with them.”

“And now?”

I looked down at her. “Now I know the difference.”

Her eyes opened.

“What’s the difference?”

“Wanting somebody can be loud. Building with somebody is steady. Want can make promises in the dark. Building keeps them in daylight. Want reaches. Building asks. Want gets impatient. Building understands anything worth having deserves a foundation deeper than feelings.”

Her eyes searched mine.

“I want you, Celeste. I’m not going to lie about that. But I want to build with you more than I want to rush you.”

Her lips parted.

“You make it hard to be scared,” she whispered.

I brushed my thumb near her wrist. “No, I don’t. Fear is still there. I just want to make sure it doesn’t have to sit by itself.”

She closed her eyes again.

“You keep saying stuff like that, and I’m going to fall asleep on you.”

“Then fall asleep.”

“That’s rude.”

“That’s permission.”

She smiled without opening her eyes. “You always have an answer.”

“Not always.”

“Tonight you do.”

“Tonight, I have you on my couch. I’m motivated.”

She laughed once, then went quiet.

She fell asleep like her body had been waiting for permission it didn’t know how to ask for.

I lowered the volume until the movie became a whisper.

The house settled around us while Celeste slept against me, and I didn’t move.

I looked down at her face and kissed her forehead softly enough not to wake her.

“You shouldn’t be scared,” I whispered.

She didn’t stir.

I brushed one loc back from her cheek.

“God didn’t bring you to my door for me to mishandle you.”