Page 131 of Falling Too Late

“Because your mother loved you with her entire being and you can’t, in any world, imagine her not loving you.” I spoke the words and again approached him, laying my hand on his arm. We were at a wall that I didn’t know how to scale. I didn’t know howto get us around this. I couldn’t let him carry the weight of this for the rest of his life.

This was going to be a fight that neither of us would ever win.

He tucked my hair behind my ear, his thumb grazing over my cheek. I could see the exhaustion in his face. “I’m sorry that my leaving you that day has hurt you, and I will spend every day for the rest of my life making it up to you, but I can’t apologize for it. I needed to go. I needed to protect you so that never happened to you again.”

“Would you do it again?” I didn’t know why I was asking this question when I knew the answer, but some sick masochistic part of me had to hear him say it.

“In a heartbeat.”

CHAPTER 48

WREN

“Where doyou think you’re going?” I reached for his naked back, placing my hand on the hard muscles as they flexed. He had running shorts on and he was bent over, tying his shoes.

I glanced to the hanging clock; it was six in the morning. We had only gone back to bed a few hours ago, never really falling back asleep. Rising up on my knees, I wrapped myself around him, kissing down the side of his neck, letting my tongue trace along a sensitive spot.

I didn’t want him to leave right now. I wanted him to stay so we could nurse the still raw feelings together.

“Fuck.” He groaned and reached around, managing to pull me off of his back and onto his lap. “You are going to be the reason I’m out of shape.”

I cupped his cheeks, the morning stubble rough against my palm. “Just stay in bed with me a little longer.” I pushed out my bottom lip, trying my best to pout. Reached to his neck and played with his hair. It’d gotten longer in the last few weeks, and I was hoping he would let it grow back out.

“If you keep pouting I’m going to bite that lip.”

“At least you would stay.”I smirked.

His eyes sparkled, but he straightened and set me back on the bed.

“Where are King and Queen's leashes?”

“You’re going to take them on your run?”

“I either take them on a run this morning, or I’m throwing the ball all day.” He crawled onto the bed, over the top of me. “If I tire them out this morning then I’m all yours tonight.” He kissed me softly. “Plus, I have plans for you.”

A thrill coursed through me at his playfulness. After the heaviness of last night, we needed a little fun. “Downstairs in the coat closet,” I whispered when he let me come up for air.

“I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Alex.” He turned, his head tilted to the side as he took in my face.

I felt raw. Scared to let him walk out that door after the night we had. I had an unreasonable fear of him leaving me in bed again. “I’ll walk out with you.” I got up, grabbing my light summer robe and tying it off around my sleep shorts and shirt.

I watched as he clipped their leashes on. The two pups were overly excited, and I knew even though they were well trained, would give him a hard time with as much energy they had.

“I love you.”

“I love you, Wren.”

With one more toe-curling kiss, he turned to leave. I glanced down at my gym bag by the door.

“Oh shit.” I palmed my face.

Alex stilled, turning to look at me. “What’s up?”

“Mario is supposed to come by this morning for coffee. It’s time to start planning the fundraiser we do for domestic violence victims every year.”

“Okay, we will have our day after you two get done.” Alex shrugged before he continued down the porch.

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