The Heart Wants What It Wants

Chapter 23

Nicole's POV

"...I love Nicole, and all I want to do is make her happy and feel safe around me. I really need you to believe me."

"You love her?"

I was approaching the living room when I heard Jared talking to Rachel. My heart almost stopped at the mere sound of those words. At first, I wasn't even sure if I heard it well, but once Rachel repeated the words, there was no doubt about it.

"You love me?" I said feeling the tears were about to fill my eyes from all the joy that was overflowing me. Jared flinched as he heard my voice, instantly smiling at me when he saw my reaction.

"I think I'm gonna leave you two alone for a minute," Rachel went to kitchen giving us some privacy.

"Of course I love you, baby. I think I fell in love with you way back in Mexico. Days were just not the same whenever I was without you. With every moment that passed when we were not together, I felt incomplete and desperate to have you with me."

"I... wow... that's just..." I stuttered trying to find the words to express my feelings, but I was so overwhelmed that I just couldn't utter a single meaningful word.

"I know this must be a lot to take in," Jared said as he took my hand pulling me towards to couch so we can sit down, "but I feel like it's the right time for me to tell you this. Actually, I should've said it long time ago but...," as he was about to ramble himself into a tidal wave of words, I cupped his face quickly, kissing him like I've never kissed anyone before. Jared wrapped his arms around me, as his hands roamed all over my back while our connected lips spoke everything the words weren't nearly as able to say.

"I love you so much," I said breaking the kiss as I leaned my forehead against Jared's, giving him the look full of love, joy, and utter bliss. "You have no idea how happy you just made me," I slowly began to unravel my feelings, as my lips finally caught up with my brain. "I was so scared that sex was the only thing keeping us together, but now that I know my love for you isn't one-sided I can finally breathe," I finished with a small chuckle, as Jared couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"Silly girl," Jared smiled brushing his thumb over my cheek, "that's exactly why I love you so much. You're so smart, strong, and amazing, but when it comes to love, I guess we all become an unknown version of ourselves."

"Something like that," I smiled. "For the first time in my life I felt like I couldn't trust my instincts... sometimes I couldn't even decipher what they were telling me," I sighed, "I guess that's how I should've known that this was in fact love."

"Hmm, interesting... I, for one, never felt more like myself than when I was thinking about us, together," Jared surprised me with that statement.

"Really? How so?"

"Well, I just suddenly had the need to share everything with you. Whenever something good or bad happened I wanted you to be the first one to know. It all comes down to that, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does. The first thought in the morning, and the last one at night ‒ you were that for me, and ..."

"That's what you were to me, too," Jared smiled and locked his lips on mine once more.

That was the happiest moment of my life. Nothing before Jared will ever count anymore, and couldn't ever come near to how I felt once he said that he loved me. Marriage with Lucas suddenly flashed before my eyes. How could I have even allowed the wedding to come so near and not stop it before? I should probably thank Maya for giving my number to Jared, regardless of everything else that she did. In the midst of my brainstorming, my phone rang again. It was Lucas.