“That will never happen,” Dan growled. “You complete me, baby. I realized that about a year after I left you.”
“We’re like two lost puzzle pieces trying to find one another again,” she agreed, closing her eyes, feeling incredibly loved by him.
“Then, I’m glad we’re going to live together. Eat together. Have sex when we feel like it.”
She managed a soft laugh, caressing his cheek. “You’ve come so far already, Dan. If you’re like this with me the rest of our lives, I’m satisfied.”
“I hope someday I can know what love is so you can be the first person I love.”
“Care is a really good start,” she offered. “It’s good enough, Dan. And if I’m okay with it, you should be too. Care is fine,” she repeated firmly, giving him a confident look she hoped he’d absorb. “As long as you let me tell you that I love you, I’m fine with you telling me you care for me. Okay?”
“Okay, baby, that’s doable. I like when you tell me you love me because I know you know what love is. Coming from you, I feel it in my heart, and it makes me damn near giddy when you share it with me.”
“We’re a work in progress, Dan. We need to give the other person a lot of room to run around, that’s all.”
“How about a shower together?”
She opened her eyes, seeing that feral gleam in them. “Oh, she murmured playfully, “I don’t think it’s because you want to get clean.”
“Caught me dead to rights.”
She smiled. “Come on, let’s celebrate our new life together.”
Dan felt all his worries melt away. He had a real chance with Sloan. “Yeah, let’s swim together in the shower,” he grunted, opening his arms, allowing her to slide off his lap. As he slid off the bed, and she walked around it, he captured her hand, drawing her against him. He kissed her with everything he had, his heart exploding with such joy, he didn’t know what to call it. Dan would continue to show Sloan how he felt toward her. He was much better at physical show-and-tell than words. And he saw joy in her eyes. It was enough. More than enough.