Forever.

Chapter 7: Twice

Claire's P.O.V. (Continued)

His fingers find the bare skin under the hem of my shirt, and he tenses up.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I whisper as I pull away, leaving our foreheads connected.

"I guess I'm just scared." He whispers.

"Of me?" I ask.

"Of us." He says. I pull back and look in his eyes.

"Why?" I ask.

"I've never had anything so perfect in my life, I'm scared that I'll mess it up or loose it." He says.

"You're not going to mess it up." I say.

"But what if I do?" He asks.

"You won't." I say.

"How do you know?" He asks.

"Because it's you and me." I say.

"And you're not scared of that?" He asks.

"It scares the absolute crap out of me." I say as I slowly run my fingers through his hair.

"It does?" He asks.

"Here. Watch." I say as I move off of his lap. I move so I'm sitting next to him. I take his hand in mine and place it on my heart. "Kiss me." I say. He smiles and leans in and kisses me gently. My heart speeds up and he pulls back.

"Oh my god." He says.

"Yeah." I say as I nod with a smile.

"I don't want you scared." He says.

"I'm scared in a good way." I say with a smile. A smile creeps its way across his face and he takes his hand off of my heart and places it on the side of my face. Our eyes connect and he smiles a little bigger.

"I love you." He whispers. My heart pounds and I swallow hard. I open my mouth to say something and he cuts me off. "I know you told me that you're a different person now, but I can still see some of that girl I fell in love with five years ago." He says. My heart flutters.

"Braden, I-" I say before I abruptly stop.

"I know we've been apart for a long time, so I understand if your feelings have changed. I honestly don't care whether or not you say if you love me back. All I want you to know is that I will always be here for you whether you love me or not, whether you change or not, or whether you want me to or not. You are finally back in my life and I'm never letting you leave it again." He says as he grabs my hand. When he finishes he gently kisses the top of it and smiles afterwards.

"That was amazing. Thank you." I say with a smile.

"I love you." He says as he leans in and kisses my neck softly. In between the gentle kisses he leaves he says "I love you."

"Braden," I say as I take his hands I mine.

"I know, you've changed. But I don't care. I love you for you." He says as he looks in my eyes.

"You're right. I have changed." I say blankly. His face changes briefly. "But my feelings haven't." I say. He smiles.

"And that means?" He asks. I can't tell if he really doesn't understand, or if he wants to hear me say it.

"I love you too." I say with a smile. He closes his eyes and smiles.

"I love hearing you say that." He says as he opens his eyes.

"I bet you do." I say with a smirk.

"Can I-can we-would it be okay if-I'm just gonna do it." He stutters.