“Mommy, he told me he’s going to take me away for some candy and I can pet his fat dog.”

“I once told you to leave and not to love me,” he cried out, muffled. “I’m taking all of that back. Not because I deserve it or because I’m worthy of your love. But because I need it like the air I breathe. I need you. I need you to believe in me. I need your love to make me feel like I can be redeemed.”

“He backed away from me, clutching the phone to his chest. “What?”“Gimme the phone,” I commanded, holding out my hand.His head dropped solemnly. “I am on a very important call.”“Yes, about me,” I said, reaching for it. “Now give it.”He shrank away and eyed the room anxiously. “Damn, I knew I should have kept a spare roll of duct tape somewhere.”

“This is me trying, Perry,” he said softly, the anger being drained of his face. “This is me taking my heart out of my chest and putting the bloody mess in your hands. I can’t give you much more than that.”

“That is what I thought of you, Ellie. Heartless, reckless, selfish, and cruel."He was back to shooting me when my armor was down. I turned my face away from him, not wanting to let him see the hurt in my eyes. He reached up and put his fingers under my chin, bringing my face forward again, forcing me to look at him."Beautiful, sad, wounded, and lost," he continued. "A freak, a work of art, a liar, and a lover."His gaze was starting to eat away at my insides. Razor-blade butterflies whirled in my heart."I hate you, Ellie Watt," he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, "because I still love you after all these years.”

“He rubbed at his chin. "I think we're going to have to add a no eavesdropping clause to the house rules. We might have to take out the no sex thing though.”

“He was still a douchecanoe. The douchecanoe who was going to paddle me to safety.”