He didn't mind that slow kiss of hers - maybe it wasn't light and playful, but that was all right. He couldn't help but smile, broadly, at her words, moving the hand on her waist up to the small of her back, just holding her close as he glanced down at the top of her head, moving them a little more slowly now that she was pressed close against him. "I hope I do, too," he murmured softly, biting his tongue - literally - before he simply couldn't keep from saying what he wanted to any longer. "Summer.. I want you. I want that to be you, even if we still have a ways to go. I don't care whether this is old or new or something in between... but I love you." His fingers curled gently against her back, but he loosened his grip just a little to let her know if she wanted to move, pull back or - he hoped not - pull away, she could.