Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57499 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57499 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
"Feeling better?"
I nodded against his chest. Please don't let me go, not yet, just a little while longer. I wanted so badly to hug him tighter, but had no doubt he would pull away and I would just be making him uncomfortable.
He'll never see me in that way, and I had resigned myself to a life without him, a long, long time ago. Why was life so unfair? I’d excelled in everything else, but this one thing. I’d travelled the world doing what I love, but still this one thing, the one I wanted above all else, eluded me.
***
DONOVAN
Oh my fucking word, this was...there are no words. She belonged right here in my arms. I don't know what had made her fall apart like that, but I'm sure glad I was the one that was here to pick up the pieces.
As much as her tears tore at my heart, they'd brought her to me. For the first time in my life, I was free to touch her without the fear of scaring her away, or giving myself away.
I pulled her in closer and hoped like hell that she couldn’t feel my body’s reaction to her. Not yet, I didn’t want to rush things, but neither was I willing to drag things out much longer.
I’d thought to give her time to settle in, to get over what she had left behind, but her tears, that smile; there had been something in that smile. Something I think I’ve been waiting for all this time.
Did she know that I would never let her go, that from this day forward we were one? That she'd sealed that bond with her tears, by seeking solace in my arms? It was as though she’d held it in until I came.
She’s one of the strongest women I know, and yet she’d held it together long enough, with everyone else, but me. That said a lot, and though her brothers might think I’m slow, or blind, the blinders were off and there was no going back.
I didn’t question my surety, didn’t ask myself why the haste? As far as I was concerned, we’d waited long enough. I can’t believe I’d waited this long to hold her like this. And the feel of her in my arms told me everything I needed to know.
I would have to court her of course, do all those things people in love did. All my adult life I'd shied away from any form of commitment; now with her I wanted it all, I couldn't wait. Couldn’t wait to explore all those feelings that I’d held in check all these years.
I felt as giddy as a teenage girl on prom night. Could it be possible that I was finally going to get to hold the one girl I’d always wanted in my arms forever? Had I known when I woke up this morning that everything I’d ever wanted, would be mine for the taking?
There was so much we needed to talk about. If what her brother had intimated was true, then we’d both wasted way too much time, and I wasn’t about to waste any more. Whatever I needed to do, I will, to make sure that she belonged to me.
Back inside, where the party was going strong, six pairs of eyes found each other with understanding and sighs of relief. Their little girl was finally home and if all went well, she’d be here to stay.
Here, where they can keep an eye on her, and make sure she stayed safe. And the man they’d chosen for her, each for their own reasons, was finally getting it together. Thank heaven; it’d only taken the sap ten years.
They went back to their guests, a little more secure in the knowledge that she was in good hands.
Chapter 7
DONOVAN
I walked into the station house the next day, with a huge smile on my face, and a pep in my step. We'd spent the night together, under the stars, talking. We didn't touch on anything major, nothing too heavy, but I laid the groundwork.
We’d laughed and joked, but neither of us had touched on the newly revealed feelings, that were somewhat out in the open. I’m sure she didn’t need words to tell her why I was holding on so tightly to her hand. Or why I kept running my fingers through her hair.
I hadn’t wanted the night to end, but she was tired from her trip, and it sufficed my heart that she wasn’t in any more of a hurry for the night to end, than I was. By the time we called it a night, her tears were forgotten, and she’d lost that sullen look she’d been wearing when I first saw her.
I’d thought briefly of giving her time to get over whatever it is that asshole jerk had done to her, but then I thought better of it. We'd wasted enough time already; I'm going full steam ahead. I got the feeling from her last night, that she wouldn’t be too averse to there being an ‘us.’