Page 10 of Being with the Mountain Man

“I thought you’d never ask,” she whispered before kissing me.

When I took her to my bed later that night, we didn’t sleep. We made love over and over again until the sun rose in the sky.

As the daysturned into weeks, Leighton checked out of her cabin and stayed in my cabin. She resisted at first, but I convinced her to save the money. “I don’t want to be a burden to you or Sammy.”

“A burden? You could never.” I kissed her lips and held her close. We had spent the evening cuddling on the couch, a movie playing on the TV, yet we barely paid it any attention. I wantedto soak up every second I had with her, knowing our time was about to run out.

“Would you believe me if I told you I was a big grump before you arrived?”

Leighton’s green eyes, the ones I loved so much, sparkled. “You don’t say.”

I pulled her onto my lap and squeezed her tight. “I try to hold it in around Sammy. He doesn’t need that, you know? And now with you here, my ray of sunshine, I don’t feel that way anymore. It’s like you filled me from the inside out with sunshine.”

“Oh, Cash. How am I ever going to leave next week?”

“You’re not.”

Leighton chuckled against me, but I wasn’t laughing. She covered her face with her hands and peeked at me through her fingers. “Oh crap, you’re serious.”

“Of course, I’m serious, L. I…fuck.” I ran a hand through my hair before cupping her face with both my hands. “I love you, Leighton.”

She gasped, her hands now covering her mouth. Her eyes grew wide, and I held my breath as I waited.

“I love you, too, Cash.”

I breathed once more and kissed her so hard, pouring all my love into it. Every last drop.

“Please think about staying,” I whispered against her lips.

“But my whole life…my parents…my job…it’s all there.”

“Make Sammy and me your life now. Please. I can’t lose you.” I ran my hands through her hair and held her close, inhaling her smell and committing it to memory. She couldn’t go.

“Cash, I…I…”

Negative feelings attacked me as my thoughts ran wild.See, I told you. I told you not to open yourself up again. Now look.

Not only is she breaking my heart but she’s also breaking my son’s, too.

I lifted her off me and placed her down beside me. I stood and began pacing the floor, trying to control the chaos in my head.

“This was a mistake. I should’ve never let it go this far. I knew you were leaving, I knew we’d get hurt, and I was an idiot. I’m sorry, Leighton. I’m sorry. I can’t ask you to give up your life for me. I won’t. But I also can’t do this anymore, knowing you’re leaving. So let’s just end this now. It was great while it lasted, and I love you, but I can’t be hurt again. I can’t…”

Leighton slid her arms around me from behind and hugged me close, resting her face against my back. “Cash, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I won’t leave. We’ll figure something out…we’ll make it work.”

I spun around and looked down at my gorgeous redhead, tears leaking down the side of her face. “What? No…I can’t ask you that. I can’t be selfish. I’m the one who should be sorry. It was a weak moment.”

“We’ll figure it out, okay?” Leighton whispered.

“Okay.” But I knew it wasn’t okay. Nothing was okay.

Yet time continued like it always did.

We spent our last week together as if nothing had changed. Leighton was still leaving, and I still wanted her to stay, and thus the elephant in the room sat heavy between us. But we didn’t let it come between us, and even though I knew she was leaving, I fell more in love with her every day.

On the day she packed up and said her goodbyes, Sammy and I cried as we waved goodbye.

She was gone. She was really gone.

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