AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think I would rather focus on now and the future than rehash something we cannot change in the past. I need to let that go because it does nothing but hurt me – and I think I finally can.”
“Oh?”
“I didn’t realize you were scared, too. I was only thinking of me, and what had happened. Self-preservation is a strong feeling, and we were both drowning in it - or so I realize now, and neither had enough sense to turn to the other person, yet.”
“At that time, I didn’t,” he nodded, agreeing softly with her. “I want us to be strong together – and I don’t believe in divorce…”
“Neither do I… yet I ran from you – and I’m sorry.”
“You can’t run now. We’re married.”
“We are,” she chuckled softly, completely aware already why he’d insisted on marriage. It wasn’t just to give them his name and to help – it was to tie her to his side, and it was kind of thrilling and sexy to have your man claim you as his own.
A sigh of longing slipped from her, and his entire body tightened in her arms – fully aware. For two people to have such miscommunication between them, there was no mistaking any of this moment nor what it was leading to.
“I’m not sure if I have protection here, Eris… I’ve never touched anyone else,” he said intimately, offering up the information willingly. “I can sleep fully dressed tonight or on the couch if needed. If you say no, then I promise not to touch you or go any further.”
“I’m not sure I want Zane to be an only child,” she said huskily. “I’m scared, but like that princess in your story – I feel safe when I’m around my favorite frog prince.”
“The one who still loves you dearly…” he admitted hoarsely, his eyes shiny with emotion and full of longing. “I’ve always loved you…” and hesitated, looking up at the ceiling as his shoulders slumped in awareness, chuckling.
“What?” she asked, hesitating.
“Come here,” he invited, stepping back from her and taking a hand. “You’re never going to believe this.”
“Believe what?”
Colton pulled her from the kitchen, walked into the master bedroom and shut the door before he released her hand. He opened the closet, began looking around along the shelf on top and hesitated, smiling. He pulled out a large coffee tin, and she laughed.
“What is that? Are you like ninety years old deep down in your brain? Who keeps an old, rusted coffee can?”
“Hey, if something happened… metal slows down a fire – and stops water.”
“Okaaaay…”
“And if this gets hot, I’m cooked anyhow. I’m just trying to protect it from water intrusion.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked nervously as he pulled off the plastic lid and gasped. Inside were tons of folded notes – with her handwriting on them! They used to leave each other little love notes in the other person’s car when they were dating before, and he’d kept the notes she’d left him.
“Ohhh Colton,” she breathed in awareness – only to have it catch in her lungs, nearly making them want to burst as she saw him pull out a ring box. His eyes met hers, and he smiled sadly, kneeling.
“I’ve waited a long time to do this,” he began, setting down the coffee can and looking up at her. “I went to your apartment to ask you to marry me, only to realize you’d moved away. Then I went to your job, and you’d quit. Well, now you are mine, and this is my chance to make things right between us…”
His voice paused, and everything in her was melting, breaking down, and collapsing as she let out her breath into a humbled, horrified sob. If she hadn’t run, if she’d had the courage to talk to him, face him, they could have had all of this so much sooner.
He opened the ring box and winced, laughed and grinned at her tearfully.
“It was a lot bigger to me a few years ago,” he chuckled.
“Oh my gosh, you were going to ask me… to marry you?” she wept, realizing her hand that he held was shaking like a leaf – or maybe it was his that was trembling.
“I was, Eris,” he choked out emotionally. “Because I realized it didn’t matter to me anymore if something had happened. I was scared to death, but more of us arguing and that was a rough time when I realized you had run from me.”
She sank to her knees before him, unable to stand anymore as they stared at each other.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered openly.
“Me too… and I want us with every part of me.”
