Hardin Scott has been madly in love with Tessa Young since the moment he first laid eyes on her, but there's no way she could ever see him as anything more than a friend. After all, he's a bad boy with a promiscuous past and she's a sweet and innoce...
"Hardin, thank you again for tonight," I say as we walk through the door to the cabin.
"Are you sure I didn't ruin it by acting like a caveman?" he pouts.
"You didn't. I understand this relationship stuff is new to you, but you need to know, I love you and nothing could ever change that."
"Okay, Tess," he says as he tucks my hair behind my ear. "I'm happy you enjoyed yourself tonight."
"Did you?" I ask.
"I did. My favourite part was holding you while we danced."
"That was my favourite part, too."
I take off my shoes and put my purse on the counter. "I'm going to go change into something more comfortable."
"Okay. I am, too."
"By the way, you look really sexy in a suit." I blush.
"I look even better out of it." He winks at me.
"You and that ego of yours," I say as I roll my eyes and leave the room to change.
When I come back into the room, Hardin is already changed and sitting on the couch.
"Hey, Tess, did you want to watch a movie or something?"
"Actually, I have something I want to give you."
"Is it a kiss?" He smiles.
"No, but I do want you to close your eyes and put out your hands."
"Okay..." he chuckles and then follows my instructions.
I didn't have time to wrap my anniversary gift to Hardin, so I place the unwrapped book in his hands. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
"A book? What's this for?"
"I bought you an anniversary gift when we went shopping earlier."
"You did? You didn't have to do that."
"Look at it!" I say excitedly.
Hardin looks down at the book in his hands. "Tessa, is this..?"
"Yes! I couldn't believe it when I found it. I wasn't sure if you would remember, though."
"How could I forget the book that brought you into my life?"
"So, you do remember?"
"I remember everything about that day."
"I do, too." I smile.
"I remember how I was at the library trying to check out the last copy of Wuthering Heights when a short, blonde girl with a lot of attitude reached for the same book as me and tried to steal it out from under me."
"That's not how I remember it," I giggle. "You were just too rude to notice I was there first."
"And you weren't shy about letting me know that," he chuckles.
"Yeah. The librarian got pretty mad at our loud arguing," I laugh.
"So, you proposed we read it together."
"And you thought that was a really annoying idea."
"Well, I didn't like people back then."
"Back then? You still don't," I laugh.
"Well, there might be one I like..." he says as he tucks my hair behind my ear again.
"But, I wore you down and you agreed to stay, so we could both read it together."
"Well, I really needed that book for a project and you were being very stubborn about it. I didn't have a choice," Hardin chuckles.
"I can't believe we stayed in that library until closing reading together. You were a complete stranger to me, but I felt like I had known you my whole life. I've never felt that comfortable with someone before. I guess I should have known we were meant to be."
"I know what you mean, Tess. I fell in love with you the moment your hand touched mine and I looked down to see the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Of course, I wouldn't have admitted that then. It was hard to express my feelings. I'm just thankful you were so forward— and pushy —about being my friend."
"Excuse me! I wasn't pushy. It's called being friendly."
"Whatever you call it, I'm just happy you didn't give up on me."
"And I'm happy it's getting easier for you to express your feelings."
"That's all thanks to the stubborn, pushy, annoying blonde girl who never took no for an answer."
"Gee, thanks?" I giggle.
"You're welcome." Hardin smiles and then leans in to kiss me.
"So, you like the book?"
"I love it, Tessa. It's so thoughtful. I can't believe you found the same cover. I've tried to find it myself and it was impossible."
"I know. I've been looking for a while, then there it was, just sitting in the window of one of the shops we visited today."
"Thank you so much, baby," Hardin says and kisses me again.
"I'm glad you like it."
"How about we read a little for old times' sake?"
"I'd love that, Hardin."
Hardin and I curl up together on the couch and he starts reading to me. I look up at him a few times, but he doesn't notice. I think to myself how far we've come since that first day we met. He's grown into a man capable of loving someone else unconditionally and I couldn't be more proud of him. I feel as if in this moment I love him more than I ever have before. I know I will always love him and I want to be his forever.
We drift off to sleep while reading from the pages of Emily Brontë.
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