“I want you Layla. And if I have to wait ten years for you to be ready I will. We can take this as slow as you want and there’s no pressure. I just want to be with you”

“I know it’s a lot to take in. And I don’t expect you to reciprocate. I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me.You’re my world Layla. My universe wouldn’t be complete without you in it.”

“I love you Layla. I can’t just stop taking care of you. If anything happened to you I’d never survive it.”

“I’mnot punishing you baby. I’m just struggling with this. He loves you Layla. It’s in his eyes when he looks at you. Every time I turn around he’s gazing atyou and I can see it. I should know. It’s exactly how I feel every minute of every day. He wants you and I’m terrified that one day you’re going tochoose him. I couldn’t take it Layla. I’m close to breaking point as it is with that fucker pushing every button I have. He needs to get it into his thickhead that you’re mine and I won’t let you go without a fight.”

“Layla. I don’t know how you feelabout me. I hope you feel as deeply as I do, but I knew the moment I saw you how I felt. It hit me like a bolt of lightning right here.” He pressed mypalm against his chest, just above his heart. I drew in a sharp breath. “Layla I’m falling for you. I’m deeply, madly and completely head over heels foryou. You’re mine and I want to take care of you. Please, let me give you things while I can, let me spoil you and treat you the way you deserve. Likea queen. My queen. I…” He took a long breath while I held mine in anticipation of his next heart stopping words.“…I love you Layla.”

“I know I can’t have you but I want you. I need you, even if it’s only as my friend. I’ll take youany way I can, even if that means settling for being one of your best friends. I will never ever bring this up again and it will never come between us.We’ll forget it all and start over brand new. Please Layla. Please forgive me.”

“Stop it. Right now. Why torture yourself Layla? It’s notas many as you think. If I had to give you a number, which by the way I find a little unsettling, it would be…sixty, approximately. I started having sexwhen I was sixteen Layla. So when you think about it, that’s ten women per year. Not that many is it? And that’s including you. But none of them evenmatter because I’m with you. You’re the only woman I want in my bed, shower, tub, dining table, counter top, sofa and anywhere else I can throw youover. You, Layla Jennings are the only woman I will sleep with from now till the day I die. And I bet I know the next question and the answer is no. Ididn’t love them. I never knew what love was. I cared about them sure and I wanted to make them happy but I didn’t love them. I love you. I’ve nevermet anyone that affects me the way you do. I feel like I could conquer the world, bench press a bus and run a marathon when I’m with you. You makeme feel alive and so happy I can’t even think straight.”