Page 34 of Finding Limits

“I’m just making sure you're comfortable because I plan on kissin’ ya for a really long time.” He places his hat on top of my head and gets back to it.

We spend a long time with our lips locked together and our tongues exploring. I love the way his hands feel as they stroke my face and glide down my spine. It makes me want to give him so much more of myself. I just don’t want to bear the shame of taking off my clothes in front of him. My past has left me with scars. Deep, ugly ones that I can’t even look at myself. The thought of Mitch seeing them forces me to be the first of us to pull away.

“I should make you some dinner.” I smile apologetically, rubbing my lips together and liking the way they taste of him now.

“And I should get JD down for the night.” Mitch nods his head toward his horse who’s been standing very patiently. He kisses me one last time before he takes his reins and leads him over to the stable he’s been working on. I stand and watch him with my fingers pressed against my lips and when he looks back over his shoulder at me, I shamelessly stare and allow that giddy happiness I’m feeling to find its way to my lips.

I rustle up something fast because when Mitch comes back inside all I want to do is kiss him again. I make us some grilled cheese and we both smile at each other over the table as we eat it. There's a different kind of comfort between us now, one more intense than the one that was there before, and when Mitch reaches his hand across the table to hold mine while he continues to eat, I feel myself fall even harder for him.

All the things he said earlier gave me such hope, and only makes me more determined to get myself better.

“I was talkin’ to Cole today,” he informs me once we’re finished.

“Savannah's husband?” I check.

“That’s the one, he was sayin’ that Savannah wants to include you in?—”

“Yes,” I cut him off before he’s even finished his sentence. I don’t care what it is, if it’s a chance for me to move forward I’ll take it. I don’t want to be a prisoner in my own head anymore. Not when I could be making happy memories with Mitch. Ever since that night, I fell asleep on the couch in his arms, I don’t feel scared by the world. I’m intrigued by it.

“We thought we’d start by havin’ her come here, instead of Josie. You can go at your own pace with the other girls, and they're all keen to meet ya,” he assures me.

“And do we keep this a secret?” I look down at where our hands are still touching.

“You can tell them whatever ya want. Around here nothin’ stays secret for long anyway.” He chuckles to himself as he stands up and picks up our plates. I watch him run the faucet after he’s put them in the sink and quickly get up to take over.

“You ain’t doin’ this tonight.” He shocks me when he lifts me up again and settles me on the kitchen work surface.

“Why not?” I giggle.

“Because I want ya to sit there and look pretty while I do it.” He kisses my cheek before getting to work and as I watch him soap up the dishes, I smile to myself.

“I’m gonna be okay.” The words inside my head just float out of my mouth and I feel the freedom in them as well as the relief.

“‘Course, ya are.” Mitch frowns at me, drying off his hands and moving to position himself between the gap in my legs. “I don’t think you realize how far you’ve come. You're not that silent girl who I first saw in Jimmer Carson’s basement anymore.” His eyes move over my body with desire as well as pride.

“I feel less and less like her every day,” I admit as I touch my palms over his chest. “I want to get better for you, Mitch. And you’re wrong when you say you’re too old for me. Where I came from husbands wer?—”

“We ain’t where you came from no more, Evy. There are people out there that will be ready to judge us, but I don’t care about them, not so long as you're happy.” He furrows his brow as if he needs to hear me say it.

“Well, I am happy. Really happy.” I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him again.

“So, what’s this all about?” Tate looks around the stable where I’ve gathered everyone together. Garrett looks concerned as he props his shoulder against one of the pillars, while Cole rests back against one of the paddock doors like he’s got a good guess at what's coming.

“I just thought I’d get ya all together to bring ya up to speed. Most of ya know that for some time I’ve been livin’ in the cabin up on Grid 3 with a young woman who’s been through some tough times.” I swallow thickly when I notice the look that Wade and Finn give each other.

“Well, me and that woman. We have… erm… Well, we’ve…We’re together now… I think.” I hate how my words are coming out so weak and unsure.

“That’s what you called us all here to announce?” Wade laughs.

“Well, you know me and how I feel about whispers.”

“Mitch, I think we all knew about you and that girl before you did.” Finn takes his hat off his head so he can run his fingers through his thick brown hair.

“I…What… How?” I shake my head in disbelief.

“That girl’s changed ya. We’ve all been seein’ it,” he informs me. “It’s about time you owned it.”

“Well, then, I guess you can all get back to work.” I gesture my head to the door, and once they’ve all dispersed, Garrett pushes himself off the pillar to make his way over.

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