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“I don’t want you to leave.”

But he doesn’t want to keep me forever either.

“I appreciate you letting me stay in your spare room, but it’s past time for me to go. I’ve been a burden on you for long enough,” I tell him.

“You’re seriously leaving?”

“Yes,” I agree. “If I stay with you after all this…I’m only going to want more,” I admit quietly.

And as much as I know I should also leave Wilmington, I know I won’t be able to leave him.

22

Theo

Twice this week Maggie has threatened to move out.

But I know that’s not really what she wants.

It sure as hell isn’t what I want.

And I’m not certain if there’s anything I can do to change her mind.

She wants more. And I may not be capable of offering more.

For now, I just want to try and put a smile on her face.

When we return to the reception, and “Unchained Melody” is playing, I hold out my hand to her. “Come on.”

“What?” she asks.

“Maggie, I know you want to dance to the song from one of your favorite movies.”

“You don’t like to dance. Especially not slow dances.”

“I danced last night with you,” I remind her. “I’ll always dance for you.”

She takes my hand at that, even though her eyes water, and I lead her to the floor where I take her hips, and she wraps her arms around my neck.

“Thank you for coming with me this week,” she says as she rests her head on my chest like she’s too physically and mentally exhausted to hold it up any longer.

“I’m glad I came. It’s been…educational. “

“Educational how?” Maggie asks.

“I didn’t know getting arrested could be so much fun. Or that I would enjoy breaking beds or being…spontaneous,” I admit. She laughs and I add, “I also learned that I like sharing a bed with you. Holding you. Tasting you. Making you scream my name.”

Maggie’s breath whooshes out of her and she tenses up. “Should I stop calling you Teddy?”

“What? Why?”

“Because you hate it.”

“I hate when other people call me Teddy,” I admit. “But not you. Your threepeat chant is my favorite.”

“My threepeat chant?” Maggie asks, lifting her head to look up at my face.

“Teddy! Teddy! Teddddy!” I whisper in her ear.