I don't want you involved in any of that.""Because you care about me?""Of...

I don't want you involved in any of that."
"Because you care about me?"
"Of course." I narrowed my eyes. "I don't want to worry about you getting hurt."
He stepped in and his other hand settled just above my hip. "Because you want to be with me?"
"Yes." That word was easy to speak.
Rider smiled then and the right dimple appeared. "You want to be my girlfriend."
I opened my mouth and then I laughed. It sounded strange after the seriousness of our conversation, but the statement was sweet and silly.
His cheeks pinked. "Not sure how I feel about that laugh," he teased. "But I do love the sound of it."
My breath caught at the word. Love. Oh, gosh, was that what was happening here?
"So do you? Want to be my girlfriend?" he asked, and then chuckled. "Probably should've brought this up before I kissed you, but I want...I want to see where this goes, Mallory. I feel like we got a second chance, you know? I've been thinking that since I sat down in speech and saw you sitting there. We have a second chance. And who gets second chances?"
I searched his gaze, feeling a rightness deep in my chest. I had thought the same thing before, about second chances.
"I don't want to pass that up.