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His eyes flared. “I love you too. I came back for you. I hope that’s finally sinking in. We’re going to make this work.”
“How?” I searched his gaze for the certainty I needed and found it.
Barry was strength to shelter me, not crush me. I laid my weary heart at his feet and rested my palms on his solid forearms.
“Martin was powerful then,” I said, “but he’s more powerful now. You can’t underestimate him.”
“I won’t. I have a handle on it, on what he is, and what I plan to do about it.” Barry gazed down at me, his expression steady and sure. “But he’s not all-powerful, and I know for damn sure something he can’t break.”
“What?” Whatever it was, I would dedicate myself to it. I couldn’t be alone anymore, left behind.
“Me and you.” Barry caressed my skin with a back-and-forth motion of his thumbs. “No more running away from what we are. No more hiding. No more solitary defensive or protective measures. It’s you and me from now on. Loving, trusting each other, and going forward.”
Addy
“Yes, Barry. You and me.”
I wanted us to be together so badly. It was my dream, my every wish fulfilled. Held in his strong arms, I believed anything was possible.
“I’m so proud of you.” His gaze was a warm, steady glow that I basked in.
“I don’t know how you can be.” My fingers flexed on his forearms. “I’ve made so many mistakes.”
“You’ve loved, Addy.” He plunged his fingers into my hair, loosening it from the band that held it. “You’ve loved with all your heart, but you loved alone.” He spread my hair out around my shoulders, freeing my hair and me from all the cobwebs of the past just by loving me.
“Yes, you’re right.” Dreams and hopes had to be combined for love to grow and last.
“You learned at a young age that love makes you vulnerable. That it hurts. From your dad who abandoned you, and your mother who neglected and abused you.”
I nodded. I had a reminder lesson with Collin too.
“Your parents should have taught you that love is something to rely on and to trust. My parents should have taught me that too. But despite all that wrong, we found our way to each other.”
“Yes,” I said. Barry and I understood each other. We were two sides to the same coin after learning the same lesson.
“It was you who showed me what love could be. You reached out to me with your friendship. Your love was my strength, and the only light I had in my life for a very long time.”
“Your friendship and caring were that for me too.” I ran my palms up his arms, over warm skin and muscle. “When I was with you, I always felt secure and safe.”
“I’ll do my best to ensure you always feel that way.”
“Thank you.” Tears blurred my eyes. No one had ever given me a more beautiful promise.
“So we begin again,” he said. “Where we started before you ran from me.”
“We begin again.”
My fingers went into his thick, satiny hair. He skimmed my mouth with his lips, teasing me. I wanted a kiss—his kiss—so badly, but there had to be truth for a new beginning, and I had a terrible truth yet to share.
“Wait.” I turned my head, and his warm lips skimmed my cheek rather than my mouth.
“What is it?” His eyes searched mine.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
His gaze narrowed. “Tell me later.”
“It might change your mind about me.” I dropped my chin to my chest, but he lifted it. He was always lifting me when I fell.
