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He realizes it too

Still holding s his other arlad to hear that"

"Are you?" I whisper

"Yes, I am Because I love you too"

Goose bumps rush over my arms "You do?"

"I’ve always loved you," he murmurs "And I probably alill You’re my best friend, and you’re my family The year I waited for you was the worst of my life, but it orth every second If I had to do it all over again just to hold you in my arms, I would"

"Well, I would not," I say, bleary-eyed "Because I love you too, and I can’t stand to be apart fro it"

"You lovestupidly He dips his head lower, until his nose brushes o back to being just friends So if we have to sleep in the woods or fight with our fa to do I don’t want to live a life that doesn’t have you in it"

"Tell ht below ht when you do that"

"I’ll stop, then"

"Don’t you dare"

"Tell"

"I love you"

He pulls back to look athis lips as he blows out a hard breath Then his s I’ve ever heard I’h, pushing away a tear "Your ego has never been fragile"

"It is around you"

I kiss him under his chin, and he shivers with pleasure "I can’t think straight when you do that either"

"Good Let’s not think It’s overrated"

"I knoe promised your mom that you’d be ho until ht--"

"You did say there were no bodies in the back of your hearse"

"It’s sooo body-free back there," he assures me "And it’s no tent in the middle of the forest, but it’s pretty private There may even be a blanket and a pillow You know I follow the Boy Scoutabout you"

"When ere in the tent, you said it was so as he pulls ht s You may have to remind me"

"Yeah? Well, I’m in the mood to solve awith the boy you love?"

I do I absolutely do

29

"I’ you, the members of KISS mixed their own blood into the red ink used to print the first KISS coht"