Page 21 of Never Too Late

“Because everything here was for the life we were going to build together. And I didn’t want to let that go.” Neither one of us looks away; our eyes met in a battle of gray and green, and I know that whatever has been left between us isn’t over.

“I’m not giving up, not this time. I’ll give you the time you need. I’m not letting you go though. I know you left. And I know that there is a lot that I don’t know about you anymore. But I’m here. That has to say something. I’m here for you. I always have been and I always will be.” He lets go of my feet and moves so that his hands are grasping my shoulders gently. “I’m not expecting you to give me forever, not without earning it. But I am asking for a chance. And if that means watching you figure out that nobody else is going to make you feel the way I do, well then, I’m in it to win.” His voice is rough. I know that he won’t let me go, at least not without a fight.

In my heart I know that Ray will never be the one. There’s a reason I haven’t slept with him, or anyone. And it’s the same reason my prom date in high school knew we’d never be anything more than friends.

Jake.

The man sitting right next to me, the one who slayed all my dragons before they could even hatch.

With my heart racing and not a clue what I should do, I do the only thing my mind and heart agree on.

I kiss him.

* * *

Jake

She’s kissing me. I caress the side of her face, careful not to apply pressure to the bruises I know are there. Still, I’m impatient for her kiss, for her touch. I let my tongue slide along the seam of her lips, much like I did with our very first kiss, silently asking her permission to keep going.

I’m not disappointed when she opens her mouth slightly and lets her tongue flick out to dance with my own. I explore her, unwilling to end it. Although I need to come up for air, and undoubtedly so does she.

Reluctantly, I release her mouth and rest my forehead against hers.

“Please. Don’t tell me you thought that was a mistake.” I barely find the energy to utter the words. “It’s not. And when you’re ready, we’ll talk about it.”

Her kiss has nearly undone me. The passion there is stronger than I remember, and the chemistry between us is instantaneous.

I want more from her, but I’m not willing to push it.

We both know that right now, she needs to rest. If I push her, she’s going to run to the other side of the country again, and not because she doesn’t want me. She’d be running because she doesn’t know what the hell to do with herself.

When she doesn’t respond, I pull back and kiss her forehead gently. I then tuck her body against mine and let her think in silence. I refuse to relinquish my hold on her, though. It doesn’t matter how turned on I am. I will gladly suffer through anything if it means I can keep her in my arms for just a little longer.

I let her sleep through the night like that. When she wants to go home two days later, I know I have to let her. Even though I want to fight it, I’ll give her the space that she needs.

Because that kiss was proof enough for me.

Margot is my future. She's my everything.

11

MARGOT

I kissed him.No, I don’t regret it. But I do run away like a deer in the middle of hunting season in Maine.

That kiss could either be the beginning of everything or the end of the new life I’m trying to build out of the ashes of the one I left behind.

I just have to figure out which is happening.

Once I’m safely on my couch, surrounded by the comforting warmth of my nest of blankets, I plug my phone in and wait for it to turn on. When it finally does, I see that I have twenty text messages. Only one of them is from Maya. The rest are from Ray and they set my skin on fire, in a bad way.

Ray

Hey, I’m getting off soon. I’ll come check on you.

Hey, are you okay with me coming by?

Margot, are you alright? Did your phone die?

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