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)
“Get back inside, Bre.”
“Can’t you just bring me my jacket?” I ask, and his eyes flare with annoyance as they land on my feet.
“You don’t even have your goddamn shoes on.”
“Denver,” I start, and then snap my mouth shut when he closes the distance between us in two long strides. As soon as he’s in my space, his hands go to my hips and he lifts me up off my sock-covered feet and tosses me over his shoulder. My breath leaves on a whoosh, partly from the impact of his shoulder hitting my stomach, and partly because of stunned disbelief. I’ve never been picked up by a man in my life, besides by my dad when I was a little girl.
“Put me down.” My request is whispered as my heart starts to thump hard behind my ribcage. When he starts down the steps, I close my eyes. I can’t believe I thought I could get away without him realizing I was gone until I was actually gone. I should’ve known it wouldn’t work. It seems to me my luck—if I ever even had any at all—has run out completely.
When he reaches the bottom of the steps he walks across the small space and tosses me onto the bed. I bounce twice then he’s on me, and his weight is crushing me into the mattress. I don’t want to think about how good it feels to have him on top of me, how good he smells up close, how my body seems to react to his nearness without my approval. I don’t want to think about any of that, but it’s all I can think about as his hands come up to frame my face and his eyes lock with mine.
“What are you doing?” My chest heaves and my pulse thunders so hard I can hear it in my ears.
His face softens, as he says gently, “Time for us to talk.”
Panic flares hot and heavy through my system, and I shove at his chest to get away.
Capturing my wrists, he drags them up over my head and places his face close to mine. “Calm down.”
“No. Get off me!” I shout, bucking my hips and trying to dislodge his weight. He doesn’t let up, doesn’t move an inch, while I use all my strength to make him move. Breathing heavy, I give up and close my eyes, trying to block him out the only way I can.
“Why are you so scared of me, Bre?” he asks quietly, and tears fill my eyes.
I shake my head, causing hot tears that have gathered in my eyes to fall down the sides of my face and into my hair. I can’t tell him why he scares me. I can’t tell him that when I’m around him I forget about my past with Gabe, that I forget about the pain in my chest. I can’t tell him I’m petrified of what I would feel if I ever had to go through losing him. I can’t ever tell him that I never want to be like my mother. That I’m terrified of getting so mixed up with a man that I’d forget about everything else, including Ly, forget about my life, forget who I am. I know it’s stupid, but I also know it’s true, because since the moment I met Denver, he’s had the ability to make me forget about everything but the feelings he evokes in me.
“Talk to me, baby,” he urges, but I shake my head as more tears fall. “Are you afraid of me hurting you physically?”
My eyes snap open and I glare at him. “No, don’t be ridiculous.”
He smiles, and I realize what I just admitted. Dammit.
“Okay then what are you afraid of?” he prompts.
“I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Don’t lie. I know you’re scared. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me and your guard is down.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He shakes his head then drops his mouth to my forehead, resting his lips there. “Are you scared of falling in love with me?”
I want to laugh and tell him he’s full of himself if he thinks I’d easily fall in love with him, but the truth is, I’ve been in love with him forever. I loved him when I was just a kid, loved him when I was married to another man, and still love him to this day. When Gabe died, I hated myself for having those feelings; he didn’t deserve that. He should have had all of me, and Denver never should have crossed my mind, even if it was just me praying he was happy and okay.
“I know we can be happy, Bre.” He keeps his lips against my forehead. “I know we can make this work. We can give each other something beautiful.”