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He wrapped his ar between the, and their breathing to even out

"Oh, Brady," Liz whispered, "I love you"

She kneas true That against all odds, she had fallen for this roaned, his voice strained, "I know you do"

Liz remained on her back as Brady dropped his head to her shoulder and kissed a soft trail along her collarbone She had said it She had told him She already knew he loved her, and he had sort of told her, but she would have liked to just hear it

When their breathing evened out, Brady rolled over to his back, with a heavy sigh His hand found hers and laced their fingers together once more Thehow he felt was good enough And what really showed the way they felt was this…in this moment

Liz turned back over and rested her head on his chest with a sigh, thinking about how easy it would be to fall asleep like this with hi the top of her head "I got you so You already did all of this," Liz said softly

"Well, it’s not all that much…compared to this, I suppose I still wanted you to have it"

He adjusted her so that she was lying on the pillows instead of his chest before finding and sifting through his shorts He returned a second later, looking a little…e that had happened between them, she didn’t knohy he would be embarrassed Actually, Liz had never seen hi her a s her eyes "What’s this?"

"Just open it"

Liz bit her lip, wondering what she would find inside She opened the box and stared down at the sotten her jewelry No one had ever bought her jewelry

She pulled it out of the box, the long chain falling and pooling against the cabana sheets, and brought the face of the necklace closer to her

"It’s, uh…called a h his hair "It made me think of you"

Liz was stunned The necklace itself was a sh locket with a silver border that could be opened, and even smaller charms were placed inside Her stomach twisted when she sahat charms were in her necklace--an airplane, a key, the nuemstone

"I love it," she whispered How could he be so coht off her feet?

"Good I orried…well, I don’t know if you wear stuff like that," he said with a shrug

"No, I do," she told hi up into his deep dark eyes "But why the nuot the four for the Fourth of July, when I won your vote," Brady said, his eyes shohat that day had meant to him "And the yellow stone is the birthstone for November"

"I don’t have a November birthday," Liz said It didn’t even ; she loved it

"That’s when the election is over," he said quietly

Chapter 29

PROMISES WORTH KEEPING

Liz didn’t see Brady again before school started The primary was noeek away, and he barely had time to breathe, let alone sneak away to see her She expected nothing less, though she did find herself wishing more and more that she could be there for hi else…like school starting, or her new research job, or the paper Knowing that so much was on the line for Bradyby hanging out with Victoria, but by the end of the day Victoria had clai off of Liz in waves Even though Liz wouldn’t tell Victoria as going on, Victoria still loved her

By the tiotten that she had agreed to help Haydenand asked if she had still planned to help Hoping that it would get her reed and headed over to his old place

Theprocess had certainly been a distraction, as it was physically des up with Hayden They had hung out and joked together along with his track friends When they finished the ot lunch and Hayden drove her back to her car

"I really appreciated your help today," Hayden said, hopping out of his car and walking with her over to where hers was parked

"I don’t kno helpful I was," Liz joked

"You were great Everyone thought so" He s slad I could help Thankfully I don’t have toup you and all your friends to help me"

"You know I’d help," Hayden said

He moved forward to wrap his arms around her, and Liz backed up quickly "I’m in desperate need of a shower," she said, embarrassed

She just couldn’t have hih about DC She couldn’t lead hi as she was still trying to figure things out with Brady

"Oh, et closer to her