Page 32 of Nightclub Surprise
I nodded, understanding her much better then. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have just loved you and left you like that. There were plenty of ways we could’ve stayed in touch. My reason for not staying in touch was because I wanted you to feel free to be with other guys, maybe even fall in love. Not in a million years did I think you’d actually keep the promise you made to me thatnight.”
Blinking a few times, Tawny sighed. “Yeah, well, having a kid makes dating pretty difficult. Hell, I’ve had doctors ask me out, and I’ve turned every one of them down. Bringing anyone around Calum just seemed wrong to me. Being with anyone else just didn’t excite me the way being with youdid.”
Stroking her hair, I had something to admit to her, too. “I can’t lie and tell you that I kept my promise I made to you that night. But I can tell you this—no one compared to you. No one ever filled my mind and heart the way the memory of you did—the way you donow.”
Her green eyes looked at me, filled with love and hope. “I hate what happened today with Calum and the wildfire scare, but I love the fact that it drew the truth out of me. I knew it the moment you took over, and I couldn’t think of anything else other than that you both needed to know what you truly are to eachother.”
“It’s crazy how things in this world work.” My fingers played with the collar of her dress, touching her skin lightly, loving how each touch sent sparks of electricity traveling up my fingers, through my hand, and up my arm. Our connection was real. Our love wasreal.
One little voice nagged at my brain, though.If she’d told you that you were a father, you would’ve been out of the marines long before that gunmisfired.
Closing my eyes, I tried to rid my mind of that thought. What happened had happened. I couldn’t allow my inner demons to get in the way of myhappiness.
So, I opened my eyes to look at the woman I loved. “I love you, Tawny. No matter what’s happened, I loveyou.”
The smile she gave me made my heart melt as her hand moved over my cheek. “And I love you, too. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you and making up for the years you lost with ourson.”
Sure, she will,the nagging voice in my head said.She can’t change the past though, canshe?
