AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mia smiled sadly. "I want you to know, I didn’t tell you this to get you to forgive me out of sympathy."
He shook his head. "There’s nothing to forgive. You never did anything wrong."
"But you were so mad at me last week … and today."
He sighed. "I was just mad. Mad at Jeff, mad at your roommate, mad mostly for Amanda’s sake. I always knew you’d protect your friend, no matter what. It was never fair of me to ask you not to."
"She’s been so good to me," Mia agreed. "About a year ago, I was so depressed, I … " She shook her head, not wanting to go there. "Anyway, my family called Piper. She’d been my closest friend since grade school. I used to be a lot like her." Grinning, she glanced down at Drew, who still sat perched on his knees on the floor before her. "I was outgoing and … well, maybe I wasn’t as vivacious at Piper, but I could hold my own."
Drew sent her a soft smile and pecked a kiss to her knuckles. "I bet you did."
She reached out. Drew froze, only his eyes tracked the movement of her fingers. When she made contact with his hair, he closed his lashes and let out a breath. Sifting gently through the dark, curly locks, she eased and her stiff shoulders relaxed. "I would’ve been able to catch you a long time ago," she said.
He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze. Sounding amused, he admitted, "You already did."
Her hand glided down the side of his head until she had her palm on his neck, just under his ear where his steady heartbeat thumped against the pads of her fingers. It was strong and so alive.
"I mean, we could’ve probably been together by now. I wouldn’t have freaked out every time you tried to touch me."
"Do you?" he asked quietly, his eyelids half closed and his smile lazy as if her touch was putting him to sleep. "I never noticed you freaking out."
"Liar."
He grinned, guilty. "It’s never bothered me," he assured. "I swear. Going slow isn’t a problem. We can go as slow as you want. Just as long you still want to go there with me."
"I do," she said. "That’s why I’m here. When I first turned around and saw you standing on my sidewalk, I knew. I haven’t been able to … live properly for three years now. I’ve been going to a counselor, working through the stages of grief. But I haven’t dated, haven’t even talked to men I might want to date. I’ve been too afraid I might end up happy. That was my biggest fear of all. That last step … accepting I was still alive. But then I saw you, and something just clicked. I don’t know what it was, but after about two minutes in your company, I knew I wanted you to be the one to make me happy again, to make me smile."
She bit her lip. "Am I scaring you off yet? Heaping all these expectations on you?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. You’re making me want to meet them all, though."
Relief shimmering through her, Mia grinned. "That’s why I came here today. Because, so far, you’ve been the only person who made me want to get past my daughter’s death."
He blew out a breath. "Wow." He shook his head. "Okay, now that’s a little intimidating."
Eyes widening, Mia tried to pull her hand from his, but he tightened his grip.
"Doesn’t mean I don’t want to try, though." He stared into her eyes until his shoulders loosened and the features on his face softened. Then he leaned toward her.
She tipped her head down to meet him, and their lips brushed, like two cars passing on a street, their side mirrors barely skimming each other.
Mia eyes fluttered open. "Is that all?" she asked, trying to hide the disappointment because her body was yearning for a little more contact.
The skin around his eyes crinkled. "Not even close," he answered and pressed his mouth to hers.
His fingers crept up the back of her neck and into her hair, cupping her head as he slanted his lips.
She gasped at the sensation. "Drew."
"I’m rig
ht here."
"Hold onto me before I float away."
He seemed more than happy to wrap his arms around her and press close.
He kissed her and her mind raced. Guilt consumed her: guilt for wanting to continue, and guilt for wanting to stop him from making her feel too good. Everything she did felt wrong. Feeling this sensational had to be wrong.
