Page 58 of Unraveled

His fingertips traced lazy circles over her shoulder. "I missed you."

She tilted her face toward his, a small smile playing over her lips. "I've been living with you for the past three days."

"Not like this." He turned slightly to face her and gestured between them. "This. When you're open and unguarded."

The smile slipped away, and she rolled onto her back. "I'm just..."

When she trailed off, he gently grasped her chin and guided her face back toward his. "Just what, sweetheart?"

"I don't know." She licked her lips. "Everything with you feels like it's too good to be true."

"Why?"

"I've never felt this way before, and it's scary."

"I can understand that." He brushed one finger over her nose and across her cheek. "You've been hurt before, and you want to protect yourself. But it's just me, babe. You'll learn to trust me."

"I do trust you. It's just... I don't know how to act, how to... be."

"Just be with me." His finger lingered against her cheek. "We'll take it slow, no pressure."

Yet.

The word echoed silently through his mind. There wasn't a single moment when he couldn't picture her by his side. He wanted everything with her—marriage, children, a home, a lifetime. Over the past few months, he'd come to know more about Audrey than she probably realized. He might not know her favorite movie or which foods she hated, but he knew her.

He knew she was fiercely independent but deeply loyal to the people she loved. She was stubborn, strong, spirited, and willing to fight for what she believed was right. He wanted a lifetime of fighting and making up, of falling a little more in love with her every day.

"You're perfect just the way you are, and I love you for it."

She sucked in a breath and dropped her gaze.

He gave her a second, judging how far he could push before slipping a finger beneath her chin and lifting her eyes back to his. "For the record, that was me telling you how much I care about you. You don't have to say anything." He swept his thumb over her lips when they parted. "I just wanted you to know. I'll wait as long as you want. I'm not going anywhere."

She burrowed her face against his chest, her arms coming up around him, and he held her tightly, stroking her hair and silently offering the comfort and reassurance she needed. Finally, she pulled away.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away."

"It's fine. I⁠—"

She shook her head, those big blue eyes boring into his in the pale moonlight. "It's not fine. I was wrong." She blew out a slow breath. "I just kept thinking there was no way you could want me when you could have any girl out there. All I could think about was getting close to you, then being cheated on, like last time. And when that girl from the bar came along..."

Guilt slammed into him. "Audrey..."

"I was terrified."

"Because you thought I'd proved you right," he said softly.

"Not just that." She bit her lip. "When I saw you with her, it hit me hard just how much I was already falling for you, even then."

The admission caught him completely by surprise. "Sweetheart..."

She placed her palm over his heart. "I was so worried about being hurt again that I completely shut you out, and it wasn't fair. I'm sorry for making stupid assumptions and comparing you to Scott. I thought if I kept you at a distance, it wouldn't hurt so badly when you left."

"I'm not leaving." He brushed his nose against hers. "You got a raw deal, and I'm sorry for that. I'm not like him, and I hope you realize that."

"I do."

"I know this isn't ideal," he murmured as he toyed with a lock of hair that had fallen across her cheek. "I just want you to be safe."