Page 78 of Finding Home

Dr. Owens eyes widened.

Elle considered how to proceed through this minefield. In many ways she was threatening to blow up her relationship with Clayton or his with his dad with any misstep in this conversation. It was risky but the pull to fix this, to slay that dragon for him, overpowered any trepidation.

“It’s like when we were kids, and your parents would come to open house at school.We’d get all excited to show you our desk, locker, and whatever project was being displayed.The lasttime my uncle came to visit, I took him on a tour of the Sloan-Whitney building and showed him my office.It sounds silly but just having him there…it just made me feel like he was proud of me.Even if he doesn’t always understand what I do, just the fact that he asks means so much to me.”

She had a deep, secret desire, one she didn’t share even with herself, to have her mom see who she’d become.To take her mom around the Sloan-Whitney offices. Pride glinting in her mom’s blue eyes as she snapped too many pictures of Elle in her office and shared embarrassing childhood stories.If only she had any of the memories of those moments an adult child rolls their eyes at as their parent mortifies them with too much pride, too much love.

It was too late for Elle, but not for Clayton and his dad.There’s still hope for them. They are not broken.He still loved his son.He just needed to get past the expectation holding him back from fully embracing the amazing man his son is.For him to understand that Clayton exceeded the generational Owens’ first son expectations.That he is so much more.

That he is everything.

“I love my son,” Dr. Owens whispered.

“I know, and he loves you.We can love someone but sometimes forget how to show that we’re proud of them.We respect them.They are worthy.”Elle’s voice cracked. In many ways, this conversation was one she wished someone had with her mom long before that January night.If only someone had battled for Elle before, waking her mom up to what she stood to lose: her daughter.

“You really care about my son.”Dr. Owens’ eyes warmed as he studied Elle.

“So much.” she croaked, the depth of her feelings for Clayton both heavy and light in her chest.

“Thank you.”He reached across the table, taking her hand. “You are definitely a Dr. Torres.”

“Well, I am feisty, Dr. Owens.”

“Call me, Chris. That’s what my friends call me.”

THIRTY

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

~Jane Austen,Pride and Prejudice

“Is this normal?” Forehead creased, Elle handed the shampoo to Clayton, the shower’s spray licking down his muscular body.

After this morning’s run, they’d barely made it past the foyer before she pounced on him. Like breadcrumbs their clothes were strewn along the path leading to the bathroom.

“Washing hair?” he chuckled and squirted the coconut scented liquid onto his hands before massaging it into Elle’s head.

“No. The sex. We havea lotof sex.”

“Are you complaining?”

“No! It’s good sex…reallygood.” She laughed at the proud grin on his face. “We just have a lot of sex. Is this normal? Like was this how it was with you and…”

“Other women?” His right eyebrow quirked.

She winced. “I’m not fishing for compliments…. I just don’t know if this is normal. Are we normal?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I can honestly say this is not normal for me. I’ve never been like this with anyone else.”

“I know this willnotsurprise you, but it’s never been like this for me with anyone else either.”Her mouth tipped into a coy smile.

This man both unlocked and consumed her. And she didn’t mind one bit. With him she was flirty, sassy, sultry, vulnerable, and more Elle Davidson than she had ever been.

“I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you.” Her eyes met his.

It was far more than sex.The intimacy between them was something she had never experienced with anyone else. Elle wanted to devour it all. His laughter.His pain.His heart. His body.She wanted not just their yesterday and today, but tomorrow...all the tomorrows.

“I know,” he murmured, running his finger along her lips. “I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.”

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