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“Or maybe,” she scoffs lightly. “Maybe I wasn’t enough for him. Me and this town…” Clearing her throat, Rosie sits up. Her tongue licks over her dry lips as I mold my hand to her jaw and refuse to let her pull away from me. “Asshole or bastard, or whatever anyone calls him, Tyler was right. Silverbell is where I belong. It’s my home and where my heart is…my family, friends, everyone I care about.”
“I like you, Rosie.” The words leave my lips before I can stop them. Startling her into a wide-eyed stare that makes it really hard not pull her to me and show her all the ways she deserves better than some idiot who couldn’t see her worth. Or how lucky he was to be loved by her. And again, I’m envious that she still feels anything for him—good or bad. “I like your honesty. It’s refreshing and mesmerizing.”
“Brody…”
“The way you see yourself because of him is wrong. It’s not that you’re not enough, it’s that you’re too much.” Freeing my other hand from her hold, I grasp her waist and bring her as close to me as I can, while tangling my other hand in her wet hair. “You’re so fucking beautiful, and your pussy is incredible…and fuck, you have sass and more attitude than I’ve ever loathed in a woman. But you’re kind and smart…even a little funny.”
“Stop. Please.”
Beseeching eyes hold mine. They’re swimming again, or maybe drowning with too many feelings that I know she won’t admit. And I can’t be mad at her for it, as frustrating as it is, I understand how it feels to need to protect yourself from the past. I’ve lived with the same need long enough that I’ve kept my circle as small as I can, and normally I wouldn’t allow anyone to see deeper, but she’s different. Rosie’s a miracle—an angel—and I can’t hold back from her.
“You make me feel things,” I tell her. This time I don’t care whether it’s too much or not, I tug her onto my lap and wrap my arms tighter than tight around her. “For the first time in so damn long…I have somewhere I want to stay.”
“Brody, I don’t”—she stops huffing out a breath, clearly buying herself time to search for what to say—“I don’t know if I can do this again.”
“I’m not asking you to do anything except go with it. Let things flow the way they are and we can see where they go. I’m not looking for any more than what you’re willing to give me. It doesn’t have to be serious or labeled. Give me what you want and I’ll give you everything I can in return. That’s all, Angel.”
“But eventually it won’t be enough and—”
“And you gotta stop looking back. You gotta let go of what’s behind you if you’re ever going to own what’s in front of you.” I know this firsthand, and it’s not until now that I’m realizing that a part of me has always held on to Mom and refused to let her go. Even after she died.
With a nod, Rosie whispers, “Okay.” My chest squeezes at the small smile she gives me, her hands stroking both sides of my face as she repeats, “Okay.”
Sucking in her shallow breaths, I nudge the tip of her nose with mine. Loving the small giggle that trills from her when I nip it gently before taking her lips with mine. We fall back onto the bed, kissing and struggling for air in between each lick of our tongues. I’ve never been one to linger in a moment or live in the heat of it, I’m always pushing forward, racing to the checkered flag and a finishing line. However, right now, I’m happy right here, dragging each second as long as I can to make this moment last a little longer with her.
Chapter Thirteen
The sun is low in the sky, casting an orange glow over the garden of the country club where Parker and Summer are staying. Parker has gone to get another round of drinks, leaving me and Summer to gossip. It feels so good to have my cousin back, even for a short while. She’s glowing, pregnancy suiting her, and seeing her so happy with Parker warms my heart.
“So…” she singsongs, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
“So?” I play dumb, stupid as it is since this woman knows me better than anyone.
“You look happy. Really happy.” I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. I am happy.
“Is that a crime?” I tease, holding back a laugh as she rolls her eyes in exasperation.
“Spill it, Ro!”
Letting out a long breath, I look to the sky and let the feelings of the last couple of weeks engulf me.
“I like him. A lot, Sum. And Christ, if that doesn’t scare the shit out of me.” A nervous laugh escapes me and she takes my hand in hers across the table. “I have no idea what is happening between us. Neither of us wanted serious. It was just meant to be incredible sex with someone who wouldn’t be around in a couple of months. So I could scratch the itch and get on with my life, no strings. But now, just the thought of him leaving so soon has my stomach in knots.”
“Woah, you really do like him,” Summer surmises, a wry grin spreading across her pale face.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Well duh, genius. I wouldn’t have slept with him if I didn’t.” Taking a sip of the crisp cranberry spritz, I savor the taste on my tongue as I try to make sense of my feelings.
“So, what’s the next step?” she asks, leaning back in her chair and eyeing me with a combination of curiosity and amusement.
“I’m not sure. He leaves in two days. He invited me to visit him but I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” I admit. How did this become so complicated? It was just meant to be a bit of casual fun. But he brings a part of me to life that I thought was long dead.
“What have you got to lose? It would be good to get away for a break, step outside your comfort zone. Why not take the opportunity to see if the spark still burns somewhere outside of Silverbell?”
“But—”
“No, no buts. A wise woman once told me to live in the moment instead of focusing on the future. You only get one life, so live the shit out of it,” she says, with a knowing grin.
“God, I hate it when you quote my own words back to me,” I groan, finishing my glass of water. “But that woman was a little more naïve, and she hadn’t been jilted.”
