Page 47 of Vodka and Chocolate Drops

First Russell, then trying to keep her sister a secret. Trying to find her father, who didn’t even know she existed, plus tell her mother about Delia. And now Scott. It was something about Amber. She was broken and she left brokenness in her wake.

She had naively thought finding her sister would help her piece her life together and figure out what she was missing. But she was unchanged. Still the same person.

She still wasn’t in the place she wanted to be in her life and she had no clue how to get there from here.

But right now she had a choice. She could fight or she could run.

“The hardest part about moving away from home was not seeing you every day.”

It was the truth, a truth she’d never shared with anyone. She hadn’t missed home, or even Benny’s pie. It had been Scott who had made her homesick. Fifteen times a day she had to stop herself from running back to Blueberry Springs to talk to him in person.

But it was more than that. She needed a man like him in her life. Someone to give her gentle pushback when she needed it. Someone to point out where she was steering herself wrong. Someone to lean on when things got tough. Someone to laugh with, to share humor and love--her life.

She needed Scott.

“Do you love me?” she asked.

Scott stared at her for several full seconds before she couldn’t take it any longer. Placing a hand on his chest, she leaned over him, kissing him. She nibbled on his bottom lip, tugging a low groan from him. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her on top of him, her body in line with his. It felt good being held tight against him. Safe. Happy.

Scott sat up suddenly and she thought he was going to move them somewhere more private. But instead, he deposited her onto the cushion beside him and dragged his hands down his face, looking as bothered as though he’d just kissed his best friend’s gal.

“What?” The single word sounded insecure, and not nearly as light and carefree as she’d intended.

“I like you, Amber.”

Like?The word was a final, well-placed dagger to her already staggering heart.

“But you’re not ready for this. When this happens…” He faced her on the couch, his knee pressing into hers. He pointed to his chest, then hers. “It’s going to be huge. Knock your socks off, never look at another man ever again kind of special. You understand?”

Okay, wow. This version of Scott was knee-weakening in a tie me to the bed and ravish me until I can’t take any more kind of amazing.

She nodded in agreement, hating herself for giving in, wishing she could find a way to make this happen right now, because she had no clue how to be more ready in the way Scott wanted or expected.

He tipped her chin up so she was forced to meet his eyes.

“You don’t wait for the woman of your life and then blow it by starting before she’s ready to love you in the way you need her to.”

The intention and intensity in his gaze overwhelmed her. Nobody had ever said anything like that to her. Not even her ex the novelist. She felt pinned to the spot by the intensity of Scott’s love and emotion, his strength and determination and his willingness to wait for exactly what he wanted. On his terms.

The way he talked about who they could be was intoxicating. He really believed they could be that incredible together. The stuff of legends.

She wanted to believe it. She wanted to lean into him, test his strength and see how long before she became completely lost in him.

He took her hand. “Believe me, Amber. We’re going to be worth waiting for. Once you’re ready.”

A feeling of dread settled low in Amber’s stomach. If they were waiting for something she was supposed to do, she feared she would never figure it out, and that their time as a couple would never come.

7

Amber checked the arrivals board at the airport one last time. Her mother should be at the baggage carousel by now. Had she missed her flight?

“What time was your mom supposed to arrive?” Scott asked, glancing at his watch. Amber slipped her hand into his and he gave her a look.

She was ready and he needed to see that. There was nothing left for her to do. She was proving it right here, right now.

“Amber,” he said gently, removing his hand from hers.

She was already doing her best not to kiss him; what more did he want? For her to strangle all the other women she’d seen admiring his broad, muscular build? Would that be what it took for him to see that she was serious about this? About them?

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