What I'm trying to tell you, Griffin King, is that I don't want to live in a world that doesn't have you in it." She drew a deep breath and summoned all her courage. "I love you." Time seemed to stop. He just stared up at her. A swath of her hair fell over her shoulder onto his chest and he didn't even blink. "Griffin? Did you hear me?" "I did," he answered without a change in expression. "I'm just waiting to see if maybe I died after all, because this certainly feels like heaven.