"Are you crying?" he asked, his voice barely even a whisper. His already too-rapid breath caught in his chest at that. He didn't know what that even meant, but he hated to see her hurting.
He didn't have a chance to say anything else before she smiled and said the words he'd wondered if he'd ever hear. She was in love with him. A twisting storm of emotions ran through him: joy, relief, total disbelief. His heart raced and his face broke into a wide grin. "You're in love with me?" He hadn't realized just how much he'd wanted to hear her say that until she did. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close as he could, as if to prove to himself that she was solid, that she was real.
Leaning his forehead against hers he spoke softly. "I love you. If I've ever been sure of anything in my life it's that. I love you."