"She's scary the way a Chihuahua is scary-a whole lotta bark but very little bite when it comes down to it." Beth stuck a glass of water with a straw under my nose, waiting patiently until I took a long sip. "I took the liberty of calling Ben and telling him to go get Carol and Tammy. She can stay with us tonight or he can take her home if she wants."
"Thanks." I straightened slowly, sending up a silent prayer of thanks when my stomach didn't turn over in protest. Brushing the hair out of my face, I looked up at Abraham. "You defended me. In front of everybody."
"I was just one voice in the crowd." He took my hand, pulling me to my feet, wrapping an arm around my face when I swayed unsteadily. "You still look a little pale."
"You defended me in front of everybody." I couldn't wrap my mind around that simple fact and at the same time it was as if every lightbulb in the world had suddenly gone off in my brain. "You love me. Like for real."
One corner of his mouth crooked up. "Pretty damn sure I've been telling you that for the last month."
"Yeah, but-." I broke off, laughing and shaking my head. "In front of everybody."
"You seem to be stuck on that part." He took my chin in one hand, pressing his thumb against my lip. "Let me see if I can push you out of your rut."
"Wait, I have to say something and I have to say it before you kiss me and I go stupid because that's what tends to happen when you kiss me and... Jesus, I'm rambling." I laughed again, giddy, and not from the tequila. "I need you to push me first, though."
"Okay." His eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"Tell me again. The thing you've been telling me for the last month."
"I love you."
"I love you, too." I squealed when he scooped me up and spun us in a quick, fast circle. "Do that again and I'm going to throw up all over you."
"No, you aren't, because that would ruin the moment and I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen, not with something this big." He set me back on my feet, brushing my hair back from my face and grinning down at me. "Can I kiss you now?"
"Not yet."
"Harsh."
"Since you're on a roll, you should ask me the other thing again." I poked him with my left ring finger to make sure he got the point. "Right now."
"Since I'm on a roll...." He trailed off, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard before clearing his throat. "Jeannie Jackson, I've loved a lot of things in my life-tequila, waffles, dirty sex-but I've never loved any of them the way I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and all the kids we either randomly find or inherit or make."
"And as much as I love tequila and tacos and orgasms, I don't love them nearly as much as I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." This time I was prepared when he picked me up and spun me around, the applause from the bar drowning out my laugh. When he set me on my feet, I said, "You can kiss me now."
"Damn straight." He crushed his mouth against mine and for a few heady seconds the world disappeared and it was just me and him. When he finally let me come up for air, he murmured, "I do have one confession to make."
"Oh, God."
"I actually don't care for Don Julio." He brushed his lips over mine. "I'm really more of a Patron guy."
"Oh." I nibbled on his lower lip, chuckling when he groaned. "Well. We all have our vices."