Page 48 of Won’t Let You Get Away

I sit down beside her, stretching my arm along the back of the bench and around her shoulders.

“Sugar, I don’t need any reason other than the fact that it’s a part of you.” I shrug nonchalantly. “If you’d rather I didn’t look, I’ll do my best to resist. But truth be told, you have a nice ass.”

I pause momentarily, frowning. “I mean that in the most respectful way possible. I find every inch of you attractive and also acknowledge your intelligence and kindness.”

Bri laughs, shaking her head and leaning into my side.

“I’m not offended by you saying that I look good. Also I’m, almost certain this isn’t the first time you’ve told me I have a nice ass.”

Instead of responding, I gently squeeze her closer to my side.

I have told her that before, during one of the many times I was fortunate enough to have her bent over in front of me. Needing to not think about Bri naked, I focus on the pond.

The colorful wildflowers fill almost every available space around the pond, making even the trail that loops around it hard to spot. However, it’s the large cluster of lavender framed by blue flowers across the pond that brings a smile to my face.

“This was my mom’s favorite place,” I whisper, gazing at the water. “There are two trails on the other side of the pond; one leads up to my house along the creek and the other goes to my brother’s place. But back then it was just an old house on the property that Mom promised to fix up someday.”

With my free hand, I subconsciously rub at the discomfort in my chest and continue.

“She planted the flowers over there in a heart shape. Although I doubt its shape has held over the years. Everyone knew to leave her alone when they saw her with her basket and a book heading this way. She would come out here for a few hours, escape from all of us men, and always return with a smile. It was as if she always came back lighter.”

Bri rests her hand on my thigh, pulling my gaze down to her. She smiles as she surveys the pond with shining eyes.

“I can see why. It’s peaceful out here; it feels as though we’re in a safe haven.”

After a moment of silence, I clear my throat to get her attention.

“So, back to my earlier question of ‘is everything okay’?” I ask again, trying to keep any hint of desperation out of my voice. It hasn’t escaped me how reserved she still is around me. Althoughwe talk about a lot of things, each day I sense she’s still holding back.

Bri sighs, leaning forward on the bench and bracing her elbows on her knees. Just when I think she isn’t going to answer, she surprises me.

“Everything just hit me all at once. Hearing the doctor say it’s a boy made it all too real.” Her words confirm my earlier suspicions. I reach out, gently running my hand up and down her back to remind her that she’s not alone.

Bri drops her head between her shoulders with a heavy sigh.

“This time last year, I was engaged,” she admits in a whisper, causing my jaw to clench involuntarily. But I remain silent while she continues. “I was swamped with work and wedding planning that I didn’t even have time to consider how I felt. By the time everything caught up with me, it was a month before the wedding and I couldn’t go through with it. I had been with him for eight years. He was my closest friend, but I didn’t love him.”

I continue to rub her back, my jaw finally relaxing as she continues.

“In case you’ve ever wondered, canceling a wedding is not fun.” She says.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I reply, chuckling lightly. Bri finally sits back, her eyes brimming with tears as she looks at me.

“I managed to keep the honeymoon though, considering I couldn’t get a refund.”

My smile fades as I start to understand where this conversation is heading.

“So, that’s why you wanted to make sure our time together didn’t become too intimate or overly personal,” I state. She nods, offering me a sad smile in return.

“I had been in a relationship since college. I thought it would be best not to rush into another one when moving on. Besides, we were just on vacation, looking for fun.”

I try to hide my disappointment that she dismisses out time together as “just” something casual.

Tears roll down her cheeks as she clenches her jaw, shakes her head, and continues to speak.

“Then I returned to New York and my life was still in shambles. My home didn’t feel like mine anymore. Then I found out I’m pregnant. The decision to move back home was an easy one. But after that, I got caught up in the move, the winery, and the surprise of finding you in my parents’ kitchen…” Her voice trails off and she takes a deep breath.

I wrap an arm around her and pull her close to my side, comforting her.

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