Page 66 of Won’t Let You Get Away

At the time, I believed my idea was brilliant. Even adorable.

But now I wish I had left the note out in the open or pushed past my fear and woken her up.

“Open the book, Bri,” I plead.

Upon hearing the name she introduced herself by during vacation, a name no one else uses, her entire body relaxes. Her features soften as she searches my gaze. She lowers her arms and mutters under her breath before crossing the room to snatch the book from me.

“I don’t understand what is so important about my book that you had to interrupt our argument…” Her eyes dart between the open pages and me before settling on the note and pointing at it. “What’s this?” she asks, shaking her head.

Ignoring our wet clothes, I guide her to sit beside me on the edge of the bed. Under any other circumstance, I would insist she take a warm shower and change into dry clothes first.

“Read it.”

If she wants to continue arguing after that, I’m willing to let her vent until everything that needs to be said lies between us. Once there are no more barriers, I’ll kneel before her and start picking up the pieces to mend us.

Deep down, I know this note changes everything.

I regret leaving such an essential part of me to chance, hoping she’d have time to read it after vacation.

I watch as Bri shakily plucks the note from the pages and sets the book beside her on the bed. Her free hand flies to her mouth, failing to suppress a pained gasp as she shakes her head.

I reach for her, tucking a strand of wet hair behind her ear before trailing a finger along her jawline and tilting her face towards me. Tears stream freely down her cheeks.

“Connor called me that night,” I begin. “He told me I needed to come home because our dad was…” I clear my throat, unable to confront that pain on top of everything happening between us. “I was so focused on getting home that leaving a note seemed like the best idea.”

Cupping her cheek in my palm, I wipe her tears away with my thumb.

“I was too afraid to face you because the idea of you rejecting me was too overwhelming, considering everything else that was happening. So, I left the note, putting the ball in your court and convincing myself that I would be okay with whatever you decided.”

I lean in, pressing our foreheads together. “Except, it turns out I wasn’t okay with ‘whatever.’ When you didn’t call or text… it hurt so much, I just shut down and buried myself in work.”

“I would have called,” she says softly, reaching up to place her cool hand on my cheek. “If I had known that I had your number, I would have called you the moment I could have.”

Closing my eyes, I pull back to plant a kiss on her forehead.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper against her skin. “I’m so sorry that I assumed you would open the book.”

“You wanted me?” She asks quietly.

“Sugar,” I reply. “I wanted you then, and I still do.” I pause, inhaling deeply before continuing. “I fell for you in just a few days. Even after three months apart, the moment I saw your face again, I knew nothing could change that.”

“Ever since I got here and realized what was happening, there’s always been this thought in the back of my head that the only reason we were getting closer was because of the baby.”

Before she finishes her sentence, I shake my head and move to kneel on the floor between her knees.

“The moment I had you back in my life, nothing was going to keep me away from you. The baby is just a wonderful bonus.” Taking her hands in mine, I start to warm them up with gentle rubs of my thumbs. “You consume my thoughts Bri; you’re the first thing on my mind in the morning and my very last at night. And now that I’ve had the privilege of waking up with you in my bed?” I let out a soft laugh.

“No matter what happens now, I won’t let you get away again,” I say, cupping her cheek. “You’re stuck with me, Sugar.”

She smiles and laughs even as another tear slips free; then she bends down to kiss me.

“Stay here for a second,” I whisper, pressing my lips to her knuckles before standing. Wordlessly, I walk into her bathroom, grateful to find a bathtub. I run the water, adjust the temperature, and add lavender bath salts according to instructions before heading back to the bedroom.

Bri is still by the bed, now undressing, bent over and stepping out of her leggings. The sight of her bare body immediately stirs desire in me, but I maintain self-control. Instead, I brush my knuckles down her bare back.

She smiles at me over her shoulder. “The wet clothes were bothering me.”

I scoop her up in my arms and carry her into the bathroom. She squeals in surprise but clings to me.

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