Page 72 of Here and Now
I am protecting not only myself against being hurt, but him too.
They always find me and it’s not anif... it’s awhen.
Whenit happens,I’ll have to go.
I can’t.
My heart is racing and I feel sick just thinking about it.
“Penny?” Hazel calls my attention.
I turn to her, forcing a smile and pushing the panic that was rising back down. “No, I know he’s great. Truly I do. I think, for now, I just want to settle in more. Getting into a relationship isn’t really a good idea.”
Hazel nods once. “That makes sense.”
I’m glad it does to someone.
There’s a knot in my stomach, sinking lower with each breath I take, though. I know that men like Miles don’t come around often. There are far more assholes than good guys—at least it feels that way. I’m sad because I want Kai to have a father and for me to have someone to love and grow old with.
That fantasy has never faded.
I know that real love and happiness are possible. I’ve seen it with my brother, my friends who are in wonderful marriages, and Ainsley and Lachlan love each other beyond reason.
It’s just not in the cards for me.
I stare out at the field when the guys start yelling. Miles catches the Frisbee and then grins as our eyes meet.
If only my dreams never became nightmares, because I could’ve lived this one.
To my relief, not only was the power back on when we got back to Miles’s house, but Justin called letting me know he was in the area and went and cut down the tree for me before it was dark.
It doesn’t seem that Miles is too happy about this, but it’s honestly for the best.
“Let me drive you back at least,” he says, standing in the doorway of the room I put all my stuff in.
“I have my car.”
“Okay, then let me follow you back. What if Justin cut down the wrong tree?” I grab the heavy bag, tossing it over my shoulder. BeforeI can even take a step, Miles is there, taking it from me. “I’ll carry that for you.”
“You are making it really hard to resist you.”
He turns to me, his eyes feel like a caress. “That’s my goal. I’m an irresistible guy. However, that’s not why I’m going back to your house with you. I’m going because I want to make sure you’re safe.”
I sigh, my heart aching from the pull I feel towards him. “If it will really make you feel better, then you can follow me up to my house and make sure that your very capable friend—who you promised was great—didn’t cut down a different tree than the one that was struck by lightning that’s hanging over my bedroom roof.”
Then I realize I just invited him to my bedroom.
Miles takes a step to me, nodding slowly. “Good. That’s settled.”
Most of the debris has been cleared off the road, and my little crappy car makes it up without any issues. I look at the tree in the front and want to weep. The branch that offered me so much privacy is gone. It looks like he trimmed some of the other branches that were really close to the house.
Miles comes up behind me. “Good man for doing a little extra. I’m going to have to make sure his son gets an A in his math class.”
I snort a laugh. “You can do that?”
“No, but ... I can at least tell him I did. His son is a straight-A student, so it bodes well that’ll be the case anyway.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
