Take a Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters #2)(92)

He looked at Dani. Dani looked at him. There were only a hundred meters between them now, but he couldn’t make his feet move. He also couldn’t stop his eyes from devouring her. Her hair was red, just like the day they’d met—when she’d looked up from her phone and her smile had hit him like a sledgehammer. He might have been doomed from that moment on.

Or maybe doomed wasn’t the right word anymore.

Today, she wore a black sundress covered with tiny, silver moons and black sandals with a blocky sort of heel that couldn’t be comfortable on mud and grass like this. She looked perfect, of course. She always looked perfect, even wringing her hands like she was right now.

“Zaf,” she called across the distance. “Are you—are you going to come over here?”

He swallowed. Examined his own buzzing mind and frozen feet. Replied honestly, if a little hoarsely, “Can’t.”

She hesitated. “Okay.”

Another pause as they studied each other. Maybe he was a fool, to look at her now and feel so much hope. But he’d read enough romance novels to suspect things might be looking up.

Did he dare suspect they might be looking up?

“I’m sorry,” she said finally, her voice clear and steady. “For hurting you. And for resisting love so hard that I almost didn’t notice everything I felt for you.”

His breath caught, but he forced down a lungful of air and took a step forward.

“I love you,” she said, her voice lifting at the end, like it was a cautious offering. Like she thought he might reject it.

Zaf didn’t think he was physically capable. The words seemed to stroke over him, sink into him, surrounding him with a shimmering, starlight happiness he’d never known before.

She loved him, she loved him, she loved him, and he felt like he could fly.

“I know I didn’t act like it,” she went on. “I was scared, and I used that as an excuse to hurt you. I thought I had everything figured out, but I really don’t. I do know for a fact that I trust you—I believe you, when you say you love me. And I love you, too. I’m kind of terrified by it, but clearly not terrified enough, because I can’t stop.” She was nervous; he could tell by her slight, self-deprecating laugh, by the lopsided smile on her face. She continued to wring her hands, and shifted her weight on her heels, and suddenly all Zaf could think was—

Why the fuck am I not touching her yet?

So he took a step forward, and another, and then he was running.

“Erm,” Dani said, her eyes widening. “I hope you’re not going to tackle me or something.” But her smile had grown bigger and her words fluttered like doves, like cautious hope, and she didn’t move. She stood right there until he reached her, and picked her up, and spun her around like she was the greatest gift he’d ever gotten. He heard the breath rush out of her in a long, laughing gasp, and he felt her, soft and lovely, in his arms, and he smelled her candles-and-warm-skin scent and wanted to drown in it. In her.

“I’m sorry,” she kept saying, the words muffled against his shoulder, her fingers twisting at his shirt. “I’m sorry, Zaf, I’m sorry.”

He put her down and cradled her face in his hands, studied those gorgeous eyes and the crease in her lower lip and the little scar on her nose. “Say it again.”

“I’m sorry. I was—”

“Danika.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers, electric perfection flashing through every nerve in his body. His stomach swooped like he was on a roller coaster, and a giddy smile spread across his face. Her hands wrapped tightly around his wrists, as if to stop him from letting her go. Like he’d ever let her go. He felt the curve of her answering smile against his mouth.

“That you love me,” he corrected softly. “Say you love me.”

“I love you,” she breathed, and he inhaled the words and exhaled bliss as she continued. “I love you a ridiculous amount, and I can’t promise I’ll never freak out or mess up—”

“Sweetheart, I don’t need promises like that. I just need to know you’ll try anyway.”

“I will, Zaf, I will—”

“And I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” She looked at him like he’d dropped his brain on the floor, then laughed. “Of course you are, because you’re lovely.”

“You asked me for baby steps,” he said, every regret tumbling out. “I knew you weren’t ready for everything I wanted, but I got carried away. I’m not surprised you panicked.”

“It’s okay,” she told him softly. “It’s okay. Now shut up, I’m declaring myself, and you’re making me lose my nerve.” Then she kissed him, just the slightest touch, just like he’d kissed her. But he felt it down to his bones.

“Oh,” he breathed. “Cool. Yeah. Declare yourself.” Quickly, before I die of happiness.

She grinned, but her expression sobered as she cupped his face. “I’ve spent a long time trying not to get hurt, Zaf, but until you, I never stopped to think about why. I’m a confident person. I really am. Which is probably why it’s taken me so long to realize that I’m also insecure. When it comes to my own value in this—in this context, and the things I’m capable of. Socially.” She cleared her throat. “Romantically.” Her voice was stiff, and he knew she was probably embarrassed just saying this.