Page 54 of All Because I Found You

Her heart stuttered at his words. “Someone was talking about you and your family.”

He shook his head. “Some asshole thinking I sold all of my parents’ property and am living it up on their money, but that’s not even the point. The point is, you needed me, and I couldn’t get out of my own damn head to help you.” The dark storm returned, consuming the blue of his irises and turning them almost black. There was so much pain in his gaze that Raelyn’s heart hurt for him.

“It’s okay. I got a corkscrew.”

He ripped his hand out of her hold. “No, it’s not okay. None of this is okay. What are we even doing here?”

His words slammed into her. “I don’t know. Having a good time?”

“Is that it? Because I see the way you look at me.”

“The way I look at you. What does that even mean?”

“You look at me like we have a future together, but how can we when I can’t even leave my fucking property? You have a life, a family, friends, you’re clearly a big part of the community. How can you lock yourself down with some recluse who can’t even deliver a fucking corkscrew?”

His anger was palpable. She could feel it in her soul, and she wanted to soothe it away. How long had he been stewing in it? Sitting here worrying that he wasn’t exactly what she needed?

She took his face in her hands, needing to touch him, needing him to look at her. Her fingers skimmed across his scars, and he didn’t jolt or clench his jaw. He was getting used to her touch.

She waited until his eyes landed on hers. “I could have gone anywhere after the wedding. I could have gone to Calhoun’s for the after party and had a drink with friends and clients. I could have called Cindy and drove out to Nassau County to have wine and girl talk. I could have gone to my parents’ house and listened to my mother ask me why I was there when I had my own house to go home to. But I didn’t do any of those things, because all I could think about from the minute I left your bed this morning was you. Coming back here and kissing you, being in your arms, and telling you all about the wedding. Celebrating my success at pulling off what most people would have thought impossible. I love my job, but I couldn’t get out of that barn fast enough.”

He turned his head away from her, but she moved with him, keeping her eyes leveled with his.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“I never expected this.” He motioned his hand between them. “If I knew what was going to happen…”

“What? You never would have let it happen? You thought our night together was going to be a wham bam thank you ma’am, and you’d never see me again?”

“No, that’s not it either.” He turned away from her again, and this time she let him go. He thrust both hands into his hair, pulling the dark auburn strands back, revealing his entire handsome face. “I didn’t expect…”

“Didn’t expect what?”

“That I’d want you so much. I can’t stop thinking about you either. You’re on my mind all the time, and that scares the shit out of me.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t be what you need me to be,” he yelled.

Didn’t he get it? Couldn’t he see that being with him was exactly what she needed? The only thing that she wanted. “I’m not asking you to be anything but you.” She hooked her finger into the waist of his shorts and tugged him toward her. “I like you just the way you are.”

“You say that now. In time, things can change.”

“I don’t want to walk away from you. Not now. Not when for the first time in my life, I feel something real. I just want to be with you and as for the rest. We’ll figure it out. I mean, if you’re okay with that.”

His eyes closed, pressing tight and cutting fine lines into his skin. He shook his head and though she couldn’t hear his thoughts, or see into his eyes right now, she knew he was battling the demons in his mind.

Hating to see the anguish marring his features, she cupped his face. “Don’t close me out.” His eyes opened, and she smiled. “That’s better.”

“I don’t want you to walk away from me.”

“Good because I’m not going anywhere.” She lifted on her toes and kissed him.

“How was the wedding?” he asked.

“Shh.” She touched her finger to his lips. “We can talk later. Right now, the only thing that mouth should be doing is kissing me.”

He dipped his head, his hair falling forward just before his lips crashed into hers. Electric current jolted her body, sparking up her arms and legs. Her core clenched, thighs quivered, and she kissed him hard, not holding a single thing back.

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