29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Jessica

Sean hasn't been gone five minutes and I feel an ache in my chest. How is it possible that I actually do miss the man when I just saw him?

I may have teased him this morning about missing him, but what he doesn't know is that anytime I'm not with him I find myself wanting to be with him. There is no one that I want to spend my time with, in spite of the fact that all we seem to do is bicker.

I smile at the thought of us bickering. It's never been serious, but more like constant teasing. I never have more fun than when I'm going back and forth with him.

I know that I'm in love with Sean. I've admitted my feelings to myself, and only myself. Maybe I've loved him all my life. Now it makes perfect sense why no other relationship has worked out. They could never measure up to Sean.

Every time I see Sean I have butterflies in my stomach. They take flight with just a smile or the teasing glint that he gets in his eyes. Being around him sets my heart ablaze. Something about him makes me feel the way no man ever has before, and I can't imagine myself with anyone else.

I think about what Evelyn said to me this morning and I want nothing more than to believe it. There is a part of me that can't let go of the thought that I'm setting myself up for heartbreak.

A knock at the door startles me and I almost knock over the coffee cup in front of me. My laptop is open but I haven't typed anything. I've spent the past few minutes daydreaming about Sean. I really am hopeless.

I right the cup while turning to glare at the door, even though the person on the other end can't see me.

"Who is it?" I call out.

No one answers, and I slip from the stool and walk toward the door. I feel annoyance at being interrupted from my daydreaming.

"Who's there?" I ask again, feeling my annoyance double over as the person outside remains silent.

I peek through the peephole. When I see Sean standing outside with a silly smile stretched across his face, my annoyance dissipates. My stomach swoops and my heart flutters.

"Cat got your tongue?" I smirk, as I open the door for him. "Didn't you hear me asking who was at the door?"

"I heard you," he responds, kissing me on the cheek as he walks past me into the house. "You look beautiful with that frown on your face."

My eyes widen and I snort. "You're so annoying." I close the door and turn toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"Missed me, I see," he says with a wink. "I know you've been staring at your phone, wondering when I would get back."

Heat creeps up my face at his statement. He's closer to the truth then he knows.

"You wish." I gesture to my laptop, even though I've hardly written more than a word. "I've been busy."

Sean's eyes have an intensity that I haven't seen before and every nerve ending in my body is heightened. He grabs my hands and walks me over to the couch. He sits and pats the space beside him. My mouth is suddenly dry and my heart is pounding so loud I'm sure he can hear it.

"What?" I ask nervously.

"Sit down," he says softly with a smile.

"Why?"

"Jessica, really? Can you please sit down."

There's a strange lilt to how he says my name, and I sit awkwardly beside him. He's staring at me so intensely that tingles run down my spine, and I start to tremble. I've seen that look before. It's the look he has on his face when he's getting ready to tell the heroine in his movies that he wants to date them.

But there is something different about it. It's his eyes. The look in his eyes is all Sean, the real Sean.

Stop being delusional, Jessica. This isn't one of his rom-com movies.

"Umm…" Sean looks down at his hands, and I see him wipe them on his shorts. He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair. I've never seen him like this and I start to get a bit worried.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes." He clears his throat and catches my gaze. "I'm fine. It's just that–"

When he trails off, I narrow my eyes. "It's just what? Tell me."

"Jessica Stewart," he says. "I'd like to take you out on a date officially."

Sean wants to take me out on a date?

"Umm…why? Are there still lessons I need to learn? I think I'm doing pretty well. Rick didn't complain."

Sean reaches for my hands and I freeze. It's not the first time he's touched me, or held my hands, but it's never felt this intimate.

"Let's not talk about Rick anymore, okay?" He says softly. "And you're right, I think you've got the dating stuff down pat. You don't need any more lessons."

"Then?" I ask, confusion filling my tone.

"I don't want to teach you anything; I want to take you out on a date for real."

All of a sudden it begins to dawn on me what he's saying. He's asking me on a date. A real date. Hope flares in my chest.

"Are you asking me out, Sean?"

"Yes," he says without a delay.

He picks my hand up and raises it to his lips and presses a soft kiss to my palm. "I'm saying this because I love you. I love you and I want to be with you. I want to date you for real."

My mouth feels like cotton and I can't find any words to respond to what he just said. Sean O'Connell just told me that he's in love with me, that he wants me to be his girlfriend. I blow out a breath and look at him. Then I realize that I'm probably hallucinating. There's no way Sean is sitting in front of me right now, holding my hands, and telling me he loves me.

"Jessica?" He squeezes my hands, letting me know that this is, in fact, real. "Say something."

"Can you repeat what you just said?" I ask in a whisper.

Sean puts his hand on my cheek and looks into my eyes. "I love you, Jessica Stewart. I love you so much."

I'm going to melt at his feet. "I—I can't believe this," I say, flustered.

Sean grins. "Cat got your tongue?" He throws back at me, and I pull my hand away from his and hit him on his shoulder.

"Shut up, Sean. I'm trying to process this."

"Process what?" He asks. "That I love you? I know you think because I'm sexy, talented, and—"

"Oh my goodness." I roll my eyes and start to leave the couch, but Sean pulls me onto his lap and wraps his arms around my waist.

"I love your grumpiness," he whispers. "I love your attitude, your determination, everything. Jessica, I love everything about you."

I can't seem to make myself relax as I sit stiffly, afraid to cross a boundary. Sean tips my chin toward him and gazes pointedly into my eyes.

"Jess," There's no trace of laughter, and that tingle down my spine is back. "You don't have to say anything," he says seriously. "I'm not trying to rush you. But I've got to tell you how I feel. I can't stand another day going by without you knowing it."

I open my mouth, but Sean beats me to it. "I told you I love you because I need you to know, not because I think you owe it to me to—"

"Sean." I touch a finger to his lips. "Can you please be quiet?"

His eyes light with that teasing glint that I've adored forever. "I will go on an official date with you and I will go because I love you too."

The smile that spreads across his face takes my breath away, and in the next second, he crushes me in a hug that really does steal my breath. I let out a laugh.

He pulls away, and his eyes narrow. "You love me?"

"In spite of my better judgment, yes." He growls at me. "Although I've been fighting it for a while now."

His eyes widen. "You are so hard headed! But that is just another thing I love about you." He laughs with shining eyes. "I am so grateful you are mine, and I'm never letting you go. No matter how stubborn or grumpy you get. I will always be here. Always."

Tears prick the back of my eyes. I am so overwhelmed with happiness. Sean's gaze falls to my lips and my breath catches. I've always wondered what it would be like to kiss him, and it looks like I'm finally about to find out. This moment feels surreal.

Sean just told me he loves me and now he is so close to me that I can feel his breath on my face.

"Jess," he whispers, as his gaze meets mine. "May I kiss you?"

I put my hand on each side of his face and touch my lips to his. At first the touch is easy and soft, then I hear Sean groan and he draws me closer so that there is no space between us. He takes over the kiss and it is better than I could've ever imagined. Filled with longing, love, and sweet promises of a beautiful future together.

"That was better than I imagined it would be," he says as he rests his forehead against mine.

"So much better," I say slightly breathless. "Everything feels unreal."

"For me too," he agrees. "I feel like I might wake up any moment now only to find that I've been dreaming."

"Evelyn will be so shocked to hear this," I say, thinking about how I walked out of Evelyn's office because she'd told me Sean liked me. Now, it's happening!

"Apparently," Sean plants a kiss on my cheek. "Everyone knows."

"Knows what?"

"What we feel for each other," he says, making me confused.

"I don't understand you, Sean."

"After I met you outside earlier this morning, I went to Jamie."

At the mention of my brother's name, I sit up. Sean smiles like he knows what's going through my mind. "I told him how I felt about you, there's nothing to worry about."

I feel Sean's hands grab me as I almost fall off his lap. "You told Jamie?"

"Yes. And he says everyone, including Evelyn, knows."

My cheeks burn at the thought of Jamie, no not just Jamie but everyone, being aware of my feelings for Sean, despite my great efforts to hide it. "Do you know who else I told about you?"

I narrow my eyes at Sean. "How many people did you talk to Sean?"

Sean pokes my side. "Your parents."

My mouth falls open "What?"

"Yes. I went to Jamie's first, then to your parents."

"Why?"

"I want everyone to know how serious I am about you," he says. "I want this to be official. Because you deserve to be treated with respect."

I blink back tears again, awed by how thoughtful Sean is. I know my family would never have rejected Sean for me, but I love how much respect he has given me and my family by making his intentions clear. My heart is about to explode with the love that I feel for this man.

He pulls me closer, his mouth moving from my forehead and to my cheek. I didn't think it was possible but this man makes me feel loved, cherished, and respected. My genre might be thrillers, but I do know one thing. This is how romance should be experienced. Leave it to my rom-com movie star to know how to make me feel like the most important woman in the world to him.

"Sean," I whisper as a tear slips from my eye.

"Yes, beautiful." He says as he wipes the tear away.

"Remind me never to make fun of romance movies again." He laughs at me and pulls my face to his for a kiss that makes me forget who I am.