Page 13 of Burly and Possessive

Her lower lip trembles, and she bites it as she meets my eyes. The vulnerability in her eyes nearly wrecks me. I want to hold her so bad, to kiss away all the hurt she’s feeling and replace with love and happiness.

“You kissed me because you felt something,” I say, my voice low. “I pulled back because I felt it, too. It’s important that I do right by you. I’m not going to take advantage of you like an opportunistic asshole. You’re worth waiting for, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Leesa may not realize she’s my woman, but she is. And if my woman needs time to realize I’m the only man for her, I can wait.

CHAPTER 7

LEESA

Trust me,” Andrea grins as she drives us down the mountain, “you’re going to have a blast. Plus, I bet you’re ready for a break from my brother. Am I right?”

I chuckle and smile, but honestly? I’d rather spend a quiet evening with him. Ever since our kiss, he’s been a permanent fixture in my mind. It still seems weird to consider a relationship with a new man, so soon after leaving Derek, but there is absolutely nothing about Jax that gives me pause. If anything, each day that passes makes me admire and lust for him even more.

But I know I shouldn’t tell Andrea this, because she’s already danced around setting us up and getting me to stay here on King Mountain. She certainly doesn’t need more ammunition.

“The movie should be fun,” I concede. The Prince Bride is one of my favorites, so it’s not like I’ll have to sit through a movie that’s boring.

“Oh, you brought your phone, right?”

I sigh. I should have left it at The Lodge, but I remembered she’d asked and I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t. Andrea is right that I have to let people know I’m okay, but… It’s been refreshing to be cut off from my old life. “I did.”

“Awesome. I’ll get that charged up, and you can let everyone know you’re okay. I’ll go get your phone charging. Meet at that table over there,” she points across the field to where a small building that I assume is where the restrooms are located.

The sun is beginning its descent in the sky when we get to the park for the movie. There are already a number of families out on the lawn, some spread out on blankets and some with folding chairs and little tables and picnic feasts laid out. The soundtrack from The Princess Bride is playing as we make our way across the park. Kids are everywhere, some wearing costumes inspired by the movie: a little boy with a toy sword calling himself Westley, a girl in a princess dress twirling around, and another kid wrapped in a black cloak pretending to be the Dread Pirate Roberts.

It’s hard to feel anything other than happy to see all these people enjoying themselves and excited for the movie. I smile, realizing that once again, Andrea is right.

“Glad you didn’t run off!” she exclaims when I make it to the concessions table. She gestures at the array of snacks and drinks. “It’s just popcorn, candy, and sodas. Easy peasy.” Andrea smirks. “You’ll be fine. Just follow my lead.”

I barely have time to protest before families line up and the popcorn machine whirs to life. The smell of fresh popcorn mingles with the evening air, and despite my nervousness, I find myself getting into a rhythm.

A little girl approaches the stand, her eyes barely reaching the tabletop. “How much is the popcorn?” she asks, carefully counting change in her tiny palm.

I lean over the table, smiling at her determination. “Well, what size would you like?”

“The big one,” she says, then looks down at her handful of quarters with concern. “But maybe the small one.”

“Tell you what,” I say, filling a large bag. “Today’s special—all sizes are small-size price.”

Her face lights up like I’ve just offered her the moon, and she carefully hands over her quarters, beaming. “Thank you! I can share with my brother now!”

Somewhere between serving the tenth bag of popcorn and restocking the candy, I find myself enjoying it. The excitement is contagious, the movie quotes from waiting customers familiar and stirring up good memories for me. I almost feel like I didn’t just blow my life to pieces.

Andrea catches my eye from where she’s organizing the drink coolers. She points a finger at me, grinning. “Nowthat’sthe first good smile I’ve seen since you got here!”

Once we have a quiet moment, I glance at her, asking the question I’ve held onto all evening. “What’s Jax like?”

Andrea raises her eyebrows, clearly not expecting the shift in conversation. “You mean my brother, the man who is mooning over you?”

Heat creeps into my cheeks. Andrea is so direct! “I didn’t mean—”

She cuts me off with a laugh. “Relax. I’m just giving you a hard time.” She leans back on her hands, considering. “Jax is… complicated. He’s not great with words, but he’s steady, you know? The kind of guy you can count on no matter what.”

I nod, already knowing that much.

“But,” she continues, her tone softening, “when Jax is invested in someone, he’ll move mountains for them. He’s all in. No hesitation, no holding back. It’s rare, but when it happens, it’s…” She trails off, searching for the right word.

Something tugs at my chest. The idea of someone loving like that, of someone lovingmelike that, is as exhilarating as it is terrifying.

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