Page 33 of Make You Love Me

I remember my mind was going a mile a minute, like maybe she was their nanny or even a stepmom, until one of the little boys looked at me. Not only did he see me, but I also saw him. He had the same smile and dimple that I have.

“One of the boys spoke up when he saw me. ‘Mom, who’s that?’ I was still standing there in shock. It took me a second to hear that he’d called her mom. She turned towards me and about jumped out of her skin. It had been almost nine years since she had last seen me, and I suspect she thought I looked a lot like my dad.”

I pause until Lottie encourages me to keep going. “Did you talk to her?”

I nod my head. “Yeah, she got up and came over to me. Basically, she told me she missed me and how I could move there with her, my two half-brothers, older stepbrother, and her new husband. She kept saying how she could give me an amazing life now because she was loaded. I told her she was nine years too late and maybe if she had ever reached out, I would've consider it. I had just one question for her… why did she leave us?”

“What was her response? Either way, I know it wasn’t good enough because how anyone could ever leave you... I will never understand.” Hearing her say that makes me hopeful.

“She said she could never be “Her” and my dad would never truly love her. She wasn’t enough for either of us and she knew that from the moment she trapped him by getting pregnant with me.”

Lottie looks at me with confusion and I continue. “My dad was in love with another woman before he and my mom hooked up… my mom came along not too long after it ended. I don’t think his heart was healed at all. He loved my mom as the mother of his child, but I don’t think he ever gave her his full heart. I only ever saw my dad treat my mom with care and devotion. I understand that not being enough for her but still… she didn’t have to leave me too.”

Now that I’m older I do get my mom wanting every part of my dad, especially his whole heart. If Lottie could only give me half of herself, I don’t know that I could deal either. My dad and I had this talk once he thought I was old enough. He tried so hard for me. I remember him saying he knew she deserved someone a hundred percent in love with her, but he never thought she would leave me because of his inability to.

He’s apologized a million times over his broken heart causing me pain, but at the end of the day, he knows just like I do that my mother chose to leave not just him but me too… her flesh and blood. I think maybe she would have come back for me if she hadn't found someone with so much to offer. The greed got to her and became more important than even me.

I turn to her and look into her eyes, hoping she can see the hurt there, the distrust I still hold. “I’ll never forget that sickening feeling of being left behind for an upgraded version of what she already had.”

“Oh Grey, I’m so sorry.” I see her eyes welling up with tears while she grabs my hand in hers. “There is no better version of you. You are the most amazing man, always so strong and protective. I knew your mom left, but I didn’t realize there was so much hurt and turmoil behind it. I can honestly and whole-heartedly say it is her loss. You are an incredible human being.”

If you only knew.

“Unfortunately, I’ve made mistakes in my past. Some I’m not very proud of, butyoumake me better. Lottie, you make me want to be the best man I can be for you. I want you to be proud that you are mine and I am yours.”

“Greyson, you have no idea. Being yours has given me a better outlook for the future. It's terrifying to think about what happens when the summer ends, but I do know I never want to be anything but yours.”

Pulling her face to mine, I kiss her long and hard before I point out to the water and say, “You could put that whole ocean between us, but even that won’t keep us apart.” Whispering in her ear I add, “Mine, always.”

My chest aches with a memory of Lottie sleeping in my bed. Two nights ago, I woke up disoriented from the night before. I looked over and saw her lying beside me. Seeing the slow rise and fall of her chest immediately put me at ease. Until another emotion took over… lust. She was twisted up in my sheets, her perfect ass on full display with a tiny g-string in place. Long, dark hair covered most of her face and breasts, with just enough of a view to tease me. She had this cute little smile on her face. Lottie looked so comfortable, peaceful, happy, and completely mine.My morning wood turned to stone as my eyes roamed all over her. Feeling the extreme need to capture the sex goddess laying in my bed, I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture. Then I woke my girl up with her g-string pulled to the side and my face between her legs.

I’m going to miss nights like that.

“Yours, Baby,” she says breathlessly. “I don’t want this to end. I will come visit you in Richmond Hills every month and you can come stay with me in the city too. We can make this work. Grey, tell me you want that? Tell me we can make this work?”

“I don’t ever want to give you up. I know it won’t be easy but I’m right there with you, we can make this work.” I pull her short frame to my chest and continue. “Nothing will keep me from you, Babygirl.”

She cups my face. “You promise?”

“I promise you,” I say right before sealing my mouth over hers. Sealing our words with this kiss because I feel it deep in my bones. She was meant for me.

***

“I know the story about you inheriting the truck since Ol’ Girl was so special to you and your grandpa… but what about your bike? When did you start to ride? How old were you when you got your first one?”

Looking over, I see Lottie’s beautiful sun-kissed faced riding shotgun in my truck. She is so cute when she starts to get tired. Her mouth doesn’t stop moving, and she gets all giggly. The long day out in the sun definitely drained us both.

Before I can answer, she says, “I’m sorry. I just want to know everything I can about the guy I love.”

Hearing her say that will never get old.

Messing with her, I say, “I know, baby, I just didn’t know if we were playing Twenty-One Questions again or what?”

She backhands my upper arm from her side of the truck. “Oh shut up, Grey, you enjoyed every second of that game!”

“Ouch.” I laugh. “Okay tough stuff, I’ll answer more of your questions.”

“The minute my dad saw I could maintain two wheels on a bicycle, he bought me my first dirt bike and I’ve been riding on motorized two wheels ever since. I got my first motorcycle when I was fifteen, between birthday money and side jobs. I was determined to buy it for myself. Luckily my dad’s best friend Gunnar,gave me a sweet deal on a bike he was selling.”

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