Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m coming with you.” At her quietly spoken statement, my chest tightens. “I… well… I have a couple days off work, and Shel and my dad are going to look after Ly for me.”
I stare at her, and she stares back. Then she looks away, biting her bottom lip.
“Maybe this was stupi—”
I reach out, wrap my arm around her waist, and pull her against my chest. Hauling her up my body, I drop my mouth to hers, cutting off whatever it was she was going to say. I kiss her hard, my hand holding my beer behind her head to keep her in place.
I listen to her bag hit the ground then feel her hands slide up my chest to wrap around my neck. I don’t know how long we stand under the stars with our mouths fused together. It might be minutes or hours; all I know is, just like every time I’m kissing or touching her, I lose track of everything but the feel of her in my arms.
I tug my mouth from hers when she gasps for breath and tuck her face against my bent neck as I pull in a lungful of oxygen. “I’m sorry, so sorry,” she tells me, and my eyes close and my arms tighten around her. “I—” she starts, but her words end on a sob as her body bucks hard.
I walk backward into the wheelhouse, taking her with me. I set down my beer then sit, pulling her onto my lap. Holding her, I rub my hand down her back as she cries, the sound of her tears killing me. “Baby, you gotta calm down,” I say against her ear.
She shakes her head then pulls back, looking me in the eye. “I hurt you. I did it on purpose. It was mean. I was mean,” she cries loudly before dropping her face against my chest, which has seized up.
“Bre,” I start, having no clue what the fuck I’m going to say, just knowing I need to say something, something that will most likely put an end to this. To us. Not that there’s really been an us to put an end to. The more I think about it, the more I know I can’t be with her—not when she’s still in love with her dead husband.
“I’ve been in love with you since I was a teenager.” At her confession, my arms spasm around her before locking tight. “I…. You were right. I wanted to date Mike, because he doesn’t scare me, doesn’t make me feel anything. I was with Gabe, because things with him were always…” She shakes her head. “They were always easy. He was my best friend. I never…”
“Baby,” I whisper, closing my eyes.
“I don’t regret my time with him. I just…”
“Bre, please stop,” I beg, cutting her off. “Please stop.” I thought I wanted this, but I don’t. I can’t stand seeing her in pain even if that pain is caused by her admitting to me how she feels.
“You were right. I’ve never felt anything like what I feel when I’m with you, and…” I listen to her swallow. “I feel so guilty about it, but it’s the truth.”
“What are you saying?” I question, pulling back to look at her beautiful, tearstained face. Her eyes search mine before they slowly start to close. “What are you saying?” I repeat, needing to know. I don’t want to get my hopes up, don’t want to start thinking she wants what I do, only to have her push me away again.
“I’m terrified of losing you Denver.”
“Bre—”
“Please.” Her hand cups my jaw. “Please let me talk.” I nod. “I know you’re going to say it won’t happen, but I know nothing is impossible.”
“Baby.” That one word is spoken so roughly it comes out jagged.
“I’m willing to try. I’m willing to take a shot on us if you’re still willing to give me a chance.”
“Bre—” I try once again, but she cuts me off.
“I won’t say I will never freak and do stupid crap that will likely piss you off, but I’ll try to do my part, try to fight for this too.”
“You sure?”
“Yes,” she says quietly, nodding.
“You got a couple days off work?” I ask, and she nods once more.
“Yeah, I…. But if you don’t want me with you, I get it.”
“I don’t actually gotta work, but I’ve got fuel and a stocked fridge. How do you feel about spending a couple days out on the water with me?”
“You lied?”
“You killed me, baby.” I cup her face, and her eyes fill with remorse. “I know you were his, but that doesn’t mean I wanna be reminded he got something that should’ve been mine all along.”
“What?” she breathes, her fingers twisting in the front of my shirt.
“I should have been your first, Bre. It should have been me you shared all your first with.” Watching her expression change, something I don’t understand fills her eyes, and I ask, “What?”