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Brett

I walked through the lobby of the hotel with Becca's hand in mine, still feeling a little too excited after what nearly happened in my car. Even if she didn't stop it from going further, I would have. Her first time shouldn't happen in a car pulled over on the side of a damn road. It had to be special, like her. I would make sure of that when the time came.

But I couldn't help but notice how she was becoming more comfortable around me, how she trusted me enough to give me little pieces of herself slowly. The puzzle was nearly completed. Thinking of the end result drove me insane.

I glanced sideways at Becca, she seemed to be just as lost in thought as I was. I silently hoped she wouldn't ask me what was on my mind. Somehow, I knew replying "sex" would freak her the fuck out.

I swiped my card in the slot, pushing the door to my hotel room open for Becca as she strolled in before me. I smiled to myself as I watched her enter into the hotel room. The space felt complete now that she was in it.

She immediately walked over the fridge and grabbed a water bottle. I chuckled, she was thirsty alright.

"What's so funny?" She asked innocently, a trail of water spilling down her lips and onto her chest. I watched the drop eagerly, wanting to lick it up.

"Nothing," I replied too quickly. Our moment in the car still lingered in every single part of my mind. Her touch, her smell, her feel. Just thinking about it was driving me fucking crazy.

I desperately tried to avoid staring at the bed in the other room as I walked to the couch. Sitting in the corner, I patted the spot beside, gesturing for Becca to join me. She obeyed, walking towards me slowly before sitting down cross-legged, facing me and resting her palm on my thigh.

I really wished she hadn't done that.

I shifted uncomfortably and picked up her hand, holding it in mine instead so it was less distracting.

She bit her lip, staring up at me with her big bright eyes, making me want her even more.

I cleared my throat and looked away, trying desperately to think of anything other than this.

She poked my forehead with her finger, like I've done to her dozens of times. "What are you thinking about?" She asked me quietly, gently placing her palm on my cheek.

"Still thinking about the car," I admitted, making heat rise to her cheeks as she chewed on her lip quicker.

God dammit. Everything she did was turning me on.

"Please stop doing that," I asked, sliding my thumb across her bottom lip and removing it from her teeth's grasp. I could hear the breathlessness in my own voice, intensified by the electrified air around us.

I had to stop staring at her mouth. I had to stop imagining how my skin felt like it was on fire as her delicate hands touched it. I had to stop.

"What was it you wanted to talk about, Becs?" I asked, desperate for her to change the subject and my mind's train of thought.

"Ex-girlfriends," she replied quickly. She shifted her body so that her legs were laying on my lap, the side of her head resting on the back of the couch. She looked tired. I wanted to tuck her into my bed, to lay beside her with her head on my chest as we both drifted off to sleep.

"Okay," I replied slowly. "Ask away." The ball was in her court now. I would let her take the reigns on this conversation.

"Tell me about Jade."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"More specific please, babe." She giggled, finally smiling and lifting some of the tension between us.

"How did you two meet?"

I took a deep breath and thought back to last summer. "Last April, my mother found out about my father's affairs. She had always had her suspicions, but she finally confirmed that he was cheating. They fought non-stop for weeks, Becs. I begged her to get a divorce but she wouldn't. She was determined to fix their marriage."

Becca watched me sadly, holding my hand in hers even tighter. I loved that, how she knew exactly what I needed without me telling her. I stared at her for a moment before continuing.

"My mom decided to spend the summer at our cottage, thinking that getting my father out of town would somehow change him. It didn't work." I rolled my eyes, thinking back to how completely ridiculous the idea was. My mother was grasping at straws. She still was. "Jade's family was renting the cottage next door to ours. That's how we met."

"What happened after that?" She asked, still wanting to know more.

I didn't want to tell her the dirty details. I never understood why girls cared so much about the past, it was the past for a reason. I would much rather prefer to spend this time doing other things with Becca. But if this was important to her, then I had nothing to hide.

"We spent the summer together," I shrugged. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to tell Becca something I wasn't proud of. "I know it's messed up, Becs, but Jade was a distraction. She helped keep my mind off my parent's fucked up marriage."

"So you used her?" Becca asked, her voice sad.

"No!" I replied quickly, not wanting her to think I was that type of guy. "I cared about Jade a lot. But she deserved more than I was able to give her that summer." I held Becca's hand tighter in mine, needing her to understand what I was saying. "I had just watched my parent's marriage fall apart, Becca. I didn't think love was possible...Jade and I cared about each other, but it wasn't real. We both knew that. We were just having fun."

It was the truth. I knew that now. With Jade, it was a fling. We were with each other for convenience, enjoying each other's company until the summer ended and we went our separate ways. It didn't have the potential to grow into something more. And after watching my parents destroy each other, I didn't want it to grow into something more. Ever.

"Is that what this is?" Becca whispered quietly, watching me sadly. "Fun?"

"What? Becca, no. I -" My words fell out too quickly. She pulled her hand out of mine and my brain stopped functioning. What the fuck was happening? I grabbed her face in my hands quickly, needing her to look at me and stop avoiding eye contact.

I could see the water behind her eyes, tears about to spill over. My heart was burning knowing that I was the one that put them there.

"Becca," I began sternly, needing her to hear everything I was saying. "What I felt for Jade does not even compare to what I feel for you. This," I said, gesturing to the two of us, "is the realist thing I have ever felt." I stroked her cheek gently, washing away the tear that managed to fall. "This isn't just fun, baby. This is everything. You're everything," I corrected, needing her to understand that I meant every single word.

She was crying even harder now, tears flowed down her face in a non-stop stream. I kissed her cheeks softly, catching each tear before it could fall any further.

I never wanted to see her cry again. I wanted her to laugh, to be filled with all the life that glowed behind her every smile. I thought back to all the moments we shared, every time she sat beside me in my car, giggling like a child as her hair whipped wildly around her face; every time she let me kiss her; every time she made me very aware of the muscle beating in my chest.

In that moment, my feelings for Becca were crystal clear and I couldn't stand the thought of living one more second without her knowing that she was my entire fucking world.

"I love you, Becca." I told her slowly, feeling the truth of those very words deep in my heart. "I love you so fucking much."

Her eyes widened instantly, her mouth popping open into a beautiful little O. I couldn't fight the smile that took control over my face. She made me so incredibly happy, a happiness I never thought to actually exist.

"You love me?" She whispered in disbelief.

I laughed at her expression. She literally had no idea what she did to me.

"I do," I could barely get the words out over the smile currently taking up my face. "I'm in love with you, Becs," I said again. Now that I had said those words once, I couldn't seem to stop.

"Brett, I..." She trailed off, still seeming distraught by my confession.

"You don't need to say it back. I don't want to rush you, love. I just...I needed you to know that."

She nodded slowly, I could see her trying to process everything that I was saying. Then, she smiled, the very real Becca smile that I had fallen in love with.

"Say it again," she said shyly, biting her lip once more.

"I love you, baby." I said, obsessed with how the words sounded. She giggled, looking up at me with a new brightness in her eyes.

She leaned into me slowly as her eyes fluttered close and I kissed her gently. The world just felt so right in this moment. In this room, on this couch, with this girl...nothing else mattered. Somehow, this was enough.

If everyday of forever was like this, it would be enough.

"Don't break my heart, Hartwell," I whispered, pulling my face back from her's slightly.

"I make no promises," she teased. I cocked my head to the side and stared at her, taken aback by her words. Her lips stretched into a beautiful smile and then she winked at me.

My heart was going to explode.

"That wink looks much hotter when you do it."

"You think so? Maybe I'll steal it from you, then." Becca replied, reaching up and brushing her fingers through the hair that managed to fall over my forehead. Her touch sent electricity coursing through me.

"I do," I told her very seriously. She was watching me eagerly, her eyebrows raised in amusement. "But," I paused for a moment, kissing slowly down her neck and onto her shoulder. Her head instantly arched to the side, allowing me better access. "Maybe we can make a deal."

I could feel how fast her chest was rising and falling, her mouth was parted as she breathed quickly. And then she said the thing I was least expecting.

"What kind of deal?" She whispered, her voice low and seductive. I blinked once. Twice. I had never actually expected her to go along with this.

Fuck.

How did she manage to make me so damn nervous?

This was what I loved so much about this girl: one second she was giggling, the next she made me weak in my fucking knees. I didn't know how the hell she managed to do this, all I knew was that I never wanted this to stop.

"Brett?" She asked, biting on her lip as she stared at me with her eyes wide. She was doing this on purpose. She knew the exact effect she had on me.

"Uhm," I mumbled, swallowing quickly. My brain had turned to mush. I couldn't even form a fucking sentence.

What were we even talking about? The deal, my mind reminded me. Right. I needed to think but her lips...I couldn't keep my eyes off her mouth so I squeezed them shut, racking my brain for something to say. Anything.

The idea came to me quickly.

"Sleep here tonight," I told her gently, wanting her to say yes more than anything. She smiled at me sadly and grabbed my hands in hers. I already knew that her answer was no before she said it.

"I can't, Brett."

"Why not? I just want to hold you. To spend the night beside you. Nothing more." That wasn't exactly a lie. Sure, I wanted more than that. I wanted everything. But I would wait until she was ready to give me that.

"You know why," she whispered. Becca reached up and rested her palm on my cheek, I leaned my head into her touch. "I promised my mom I would stay with Cassie, Brett. And a lot has happened tonight, I could use some girl time."

Ah. That's why.

"You want to gossip about me to your best friend?" I asked her, wiggling my eyebrows mischievously. "Tell her that I'm in love with you?"

"Brett!" She exclaimed, laughing as she playfully smacked my arm. "You're not wrong," she admitted after a moment, blushing slightly.

I was grinning like an idiot at the thought of my Becca talking about me nonstop. I loved that.

"Well, what type of boyfriend would I be if I interfered with your girl time?"

"The worst boyfriend ever." She replied seriously, trying too hard not to smile.

"And we both know I'm the opposite of that," I told her, kissing her cheek quickly. I got up from the couch, bringing Becca with me, already dreading having to say goodbye to her. Before I could walk to get my keys, she grabbed my arm and pulled me to her, nestling her head into my chest as she wrapped her arms around my back.

This girl.

I held her to me tightly. Maybe if I pressed hard enough, she would stay there until we turned into one complete person.

"I have one last question," she told me, removing her head from my chest to stare up at me. I would answer it, whatever it may be.

I smiled down at the beautiful girl that held my entire heart in her delicate palm.

"About what?"

"Jade." Even the mention of my ex couldn't ruin the mood that I was in.

I nodded, encouraging her to tell me whatever was on her mind.

"Did she love you?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know, babe." I told her, taken by surprise. "Jade never said those words to me last summer."

"I think she did," Becca whispered. She shrugged at my confused expression. "The way she was looking at you, Brett. I can tell. Girls can always tell," she said matter-of-factly.

I shook my head slowly. "Whether she did or didn't, it doesn't matter, Becca. Jade is my past, you're my future."

"Promise?"

"Promise." I answered immediately, kissing her forehead.

She sighed happily before resting her head on my chest. After a moment she pulled away and walked to the door, signalling that it was time to leave. I didn't want her to spend the night at Cassie's but Becca wasn't mine; she had friends, other people she cared about that she had to spend time with. As much as I wanted to hog her all to myself, I couldn't bring myself to do that.

I grabbed my car keys and threw my jacket on, wrapping my arm around her waist before we exited the room. Becca's hand found mine as we made our way down the hallway and into the parking lot.

* * *

"I'll see you at school tomorrow," Becca told me, once my car was parked in Cassie's driveway. I could see the unease behind her eyes, the feelings she tried to hide from me. She didn't want to leave me as much as I didn't want to leave her.

It was nearly pitch black outside. Becca's face glowed in the car, illuminated from the minimal light from the dashboard. Amidst the darkness, her eyes still managed to shine their brilliant, captivating blue. My hand was on her knee, rubbing circles into her skin.

In that moment, I struggled to understand how I had gotten so lucky. My parent's relationship ruined the idea of love for me, squashing the dream completely and making it out to be something dangerous. But what I felt for Becca wasn't dangerous, it was beautiful. Like her.

She made me understand that just because your past is dark, doesn't mean your future can't be bright. She made it bright, all the light emitted from her.

Her eyebrows were turned down in confusion as she watched me. Her mouth was moving, but I was unable grasp what she was saying.

"Your constant smiling is beginning to freak me out, Brett." She said, snapping in front of my face to get my attention. I didn't even realize I was smiling.

"I'm happy," I told her, holding her hand up to my face quickly as I kissed it.

"I am too," she replied after a moment.

The empty space between us seemed alive, vibrating with the electricity that flowed between us freely. Neither of us made any effort to leave, both trying to prolong this moment for as long as we possibly could.

Becca's phone chimed, breaking the silence that rested around us.

She picked up her phone, the screen illuminating her face as she squinted at the sudden brightness.

"Who is it?" I asked.

Her eyes scanned the screen, reading the message. Her face broke out into a smile before she laughed, shaking her head from side to side.

"Cassie," she replied. "She's watching us from the window."

My gaze followed Becca's hand and, sure enough, the blind at the window was pulled back, the vague outline of a head was visible in the darkness. I laughed when the silhouette waved at us, joining in with Becca.

I turned to her quickly, a naughty idea catching my attention. "We should give her something to watch." I told her, leaning in to kiss her.

"No!" She replied, giggling as she shifted her head to the side, making my lips miss her face and kiss the air instead.

I pouted, offended by her rejection. "Why not?" She raised her eyebrows at my baby voice, giving me the look that said cut that shit out, Brett. I cleared my throat. "Why not?" I repeated, my voice deeper this time.

She tried so hard to fight back her smile that it made her laugh even harder.

"I'm dating a child," she declared, once her laughter subsided. Her phone chimed again before I could respond. She read the screen and broke out into another fit of laughter.

"What does it say?" I asked but she shook her head, not wanting to tell me.

I reached over and tried to grab the phone out of her hand, making her laugh even harder. "Stop!" She yelled as I tickled her, holding her hand against the window, trying to keep the phone out of my reach.

We were both laughing, breathing heavily as I tried to grab the phone from her hand.

"Brett!" She opened the door and jumped outside of the car, a smile never leaving her face. The wind made her hair dance around her head as she smiled at me beautifully. She was a vision, one that managed to shine, even in the darkness.

She held the phone up triumphantly, smiling at me before she waved, turning her back towards me as she began to walk to Cassie's door.

"Hey!" I got out of the car quickly, running to catch up with her. "What kind of goodbye is that?" I asked, breathing hard once I was standing beside her on the front porch.

She smiled up at me before she bit her lip. "Goodnight, Brett."

"Goodnight, my Becca." I grabbed her face in mine and kissed her slowly as she placed her hands on my waist. Every kiss, every touch, it all felt so new. "I love you," I told her again, loving the way her eyes lit up at my words.

"I know." She kissed me once more, quickly, before she turned around and opened the door, disappearing into the house and closing the door behind her. The last thing I saw was her smiling ear-to-ear before the door slammed shut.

I swear I could hear high-pitched, girly screams from behind the doors. I smiled to myself as I walked back to my car. Everything felt the same, but I also couldn't help but feel like tonight, something had shifted between us. A shift for the best.

I felt lighter as I drove through the empty streets now that the love I felt for this girl, the love I had bottled up inside of me for weeks, was no longer a secret. It was out in the open for everyone to know. And part of me was confident that she was almost feeling the same way.

Almost.

My phone rung as I was driving but I ignored it. Whoever it was, they could wait. I had all the time in the world. And for the first time in forever, I was excited to see what the future held. For me. For Becca.

For us.

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PLEASE TAP THE STAR AND VOTE! <3

So, Brett finally said the L-word! What did you guys think of that moment? Did it seem rushed to you? Genuine? Perfect? I really want to know everything! I deleted that one part so many times, struggling with whether or not it was the right time to make this happen. But, Brett's love for Becca is something he's known for a while now. And you guys know Brett is a very impulsive, act-now-think-later kind of guy. For me, the moment felt right. <3

ALSO, who was calling Brett? Any thoughts? ;)