A small part of him still felt like this was wrong. She wasn't Caroline, he knew that. But his self-confidence had always been damaged at best, and the elegant woman had done nothing to help that. But the issue wasn't just what Caroline had done; Connor's problem was much smaller and blonder and still very pretty. Abby had been such a major thing for him for so long. Rejection after rejection, a close friendship that didn't change how badly he'd wanted to be with her, and then what he'd seen on the telly that night. Sometime in the future, he'd won. He'd won the girl he'd loved for so long and she loved him, too, and someday, eventually, they'd be married. And it was a lot to take in.
But Abby wasn't there. She might never be. And it was ridiculous to sit and pine for a woman who, from his point of time at least, barely even cared. In the future, things would change for him. But this was here and now, and right now? It was Kimberly. She was the one sitting there watching him with big eyes and perfect lips. She was the one who'd waited, who'd cared for him despite his tendencies to ramble and his clearly nerdy nature.
Taking her chin in his hand, he tilted her face up to meet his and kissed her gently. Then again, not quite so gently. And finally, he pulled back and met her eyes. "You," he said softly. "I want you. I've been an idiot. I know that. And I'm sorry. And if you meant half the things you sang to me and you still want to put up with me and all my stupid baggage..." Connor released a soft breath and shrugged. "Then I'm in. All in."
There. It was out there and he couldn't take it back and he was ready for this. Caroline was his past, and Abby may have been his future, but right now? Kimberly was all he wanted.
Of course, if she ever hurt him or used his government organization against him, he'd probably never date again. But that was another story entirely.