That has her stopping for a moment, drawing back to look at him. Her first instinct is to get up and leave, to tell him to stop... liking her. Because people that like her get hurt. But she squashes that down, looking into those ridiculously blue eyes and lifting a hand to press to his cheek, thumb tracing the outside of his smile. Damn her, but she could actually empathize. Happy wasn't a state she thought she deserved or that she'd ever find. And here she was, sitting in the lap of someone that made her feel like she was being lit up from the inside every time he looked at her. "I-," her mouth opened, the word stuck just there in the back of her throat which suddenly felt a little swollen. Her chest was tight, and her heartbeat picked up at the mild panic that started to build.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, resting her hand against his chest, feeling that steady thumping that felt like it grounded her. Opening her eyes, she met his gaze again, voice a little shaky this time. Quiet. Almost a whisper. But she got it out. "I love you." Her gaze dropped to her hand, a little shake of her head following. "I didn't want to. I didn't think I should. You're... you. You're good in that way that just... it hurts to think about you being unhappy. But here I am, and it happened, and I... I don't really want to stop."