Page 45 of From Us, Forever

This time, I loved me enough to love him with my life.

This time, I was finally okay.

Suddenly, feeling lighter than hell, I leaped to my feet. My curious girl lifted her head from the floor, whiffing the air with suspicion before dropping it right back down. Strawberry, my loyal little bubble, has been shadowing me since I woke up.

My heart melted as I crouched next to her. “It’s okay, you sleep baby. Mommy’s fine now.”

She wiggled her tail as if she understood while I petted her to my heart’s content.

I left the door ajar to a sleeping Strawberry and trudged downstairs in search of my man. From the sound of it, he seemed to be killing his guitar, hunched over on the living room couch.

A loud echo of his sharp note slithered through the air, and as if he sensed my presence, he looked up, and his eyes rounded. “Evelyn,” he called in a distraught voice. He set Firebird to the side and was immediately all over me. “What are you doing here? Are you alright?”

A wide smile spread across my lips at his worry. “I came to get my coffee and see my man, but yeah, I’m fine,” I said softly.

“You are?” Surprise coated his eyes while a hiss escaped me when his thumb traced a finger over the gash on my chin. “But you’re hurt. You were crying yesterday,” he mumbled to himself.

“Everyone breaks down at times. I just…” I sighed. “Didn’t expect to have my grocery plan spoiled.”

“I’m sorry about that.” He let out a frustrated breath, weaving his fingers through his hair.Poor baby.From the dark circles under his eyes and the crumpled look of his shirt, it didn’t look like he slept a wink. “It’s all my fault. I should’ve seen this coming.”

“Hey.” I circled my hand around his wrist and lowered them between us. “It’s not your fault. What happened yesterday was something that neither of us could control, but it happened, and it’s over. There’s no use in beating yourself up about it.”

He looked taken aback for a second before his warm hands cupped my cheeks. “I thought you would be sad.”

“I’m not, more likely mad about it.”

His head tilted to the side. “This is your worst nightmare come true, Evy. You hate this.”

I nodded. “I do, but it’s a part of your life, Jay, and if I’m going to be a part of it, I’ll have to get used to it. Not everything will be sunshine and flowers, and I’m okay with it. In fact, I might love a howling storm more if I get to withstand it with you.”

“What changed?” His tone was laced with disbelief.

Willing a deep breath, I explained, “I think I did. I’m so tired of letting other people’s faults wreck me to oblivion. I’m so tired of being in this helpless state of constant misery. So I decided the only way I was going to be okay was if I asked for help. I’ve been going to therapy for a while now, and before you say anything”—I placed a soft finger on his lips—“it was my decision to keep it from you because I wanted to figure this out by myself. And I’m not there yet, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be, but I think I’m okay, Jay. I’m still going to hide under the blankets from time to time, and I’ll still want you to pull them away from me, but I’m not going to shrink away from this beautiful life with you. I want to live it.” My voice came out in a low whisper.

His eyes shined with admiration, and he looked at me like I was the most precious thing in the world before his arms swallowed me in an embrace. The quiet silence spoke between us as we just stood there.

“I’m so proud of you.” His arms tightened, and his lips sealed over mine in a slow kiss, exploring the depths of my mouth with the stroke of his tongue.

I moaned, molding my body to his. The warmth of his body seeped through the material of our clothes, and it felt like molten honey dripping into my soul.

“I love you.” His blues locked on mine. “And I will always be there to rip away your blankets or hide with you under them.”

“I know.” I smiled shyly as I pressed a kiss to his nose. “Now, as much as I love to look at your exquisite face all day, I want my coffee.”

“Ouch,” I gasped when a sharp smack fired my ass. “Monster,” I mumbled, smiling as I padded to the kitchen.

I stretched out the kinks in my shoulder, sighing happily when the smell of coffee filled the air and losing myself in the moment rather than diving into the serious conversations.

“What?” I raised a brow to the grinning man watching me, perched opposite on the breakfast chair.

“I like you in my kitchen wearing my shirt.”

I rolled my eyes, folding my arms. “I’m always in your kitchen wearing your shirt.”

“Where you should be,” he muttered. “But you keep getting gorgeous every single day.”

“What do you want?” I narrowed my eyes as I took my first sip of coffee, moaning as the bitter notes of it hit my taste buds.

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