Page 66 of Shameless
And Britney was in front of me. She now knew everything. A smile grew on my face, and hope bubbled through me.
I took a deep breath and said, “I hate stress. I couldn’t face asking doc?—”
“It’s my fault. I wasn’t clear. Going to a hospital scared the fuck out of me.” She closed her eyes and spoke like she wanted to avoid me. “When I heard what happened to your sister and why she was throwing me under the bus… because her choice was taken from her. I couldn’t imagine my child ever having that kind of burden, and that ate at my need to protect this baby, to the point it made me sick.”
I pressed my forehead to hers. She hadn’t run away from me.
“It won’t happen,” I said.
She held me as I grew hard. “How can you be sure?” she asked.
I kissed her cheeks. “Because you’re the mom, and hopefully, I’m a better father than mine was.”
She nodded and lifted her chin. “You don’t gamble. I’m not always a good bet.”
“Yes, you are.” I pressed my lips to hers and found she tasted better than I remembered. My entire body grew warm. “You’re all I wanted. Britney, we need to work something out because I want to be a part of this baby’s life.”
She nodded and said, “I know you’re going to be a great dad.”
“I love you,” I whispered, needing to tell her in simple words.
She wiped her eyes and said, “I believe you?—”
Then I kissed her. She wrapped her arms around me, and I picked her up. I needed to have her again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Britney
* * *
We made it to the bedroom, and he tugged off the simple cotton maxi dress I’d thrown over my head.
I was in my bra and underwear, and my body burned to be his again.
Those muscles of his were all on display as his shirt joined my dress.
And those lips of his, which made me ache, met mine, and for a moment I saw stars.
As we made it onto the bed, his hand playing with my bra strap, I clasped his wrist and said, “Wait.”
He froze and backed off and jumped off the bed. “So you don’t want to?—”
“I do,” I said and sat up. Then I caught my breath and said, “I let you talk, so now, it’s my turn.”
He went for his clothes. “Let me get dressed.”
I patted the bed. “I like those sexy black boxer briefs of yours. Just sit.”
“Okay.” He sat about three feet away.
My body grew cold from wanting his touch. “I came here because I’ve been… broken since I left.”
He ran his hands through his hair, clearly getting himself under control. “Broken?”
I nodded and realized he’d spoken from his heart, but I would be falling back into old habits if I just rushed into bed without exploring mine too. “I was so scared of changing that I ran out on the best man I’ve ever met.”
He moved slightly closer to me. “That’s something.”
