AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you kidding me right now?” She huffs. “Oh wait, of course it wouldn’t register what you did. For me, it was life-altering. For you, it was just another night wasted with your friends.”
Something inside of me seizes when she starts to walk away.
I stop her once again, risking life and limb when I spin her around and pull her against my chest.
“Maybe when you’re not as mad, we can talk about whatever it is you’re referencing, but I swear I’m fucking sorry for that too. Add it to the long list of fuckups I’ve made. I’ll beg for forgiveness, but I’m not letting you walk away from me.”
“You have a lot of nerve,” she snaps. “Let me go.”
“If I thought that’s what you really wanted, then I would.”
Some of her resolve fades away, and all it does it make room for more tears to pool in her eyes.
“You’re killing me. Every word is another claw mark on my skin. Can’t you see that?”
“I love you,” I repeat. “I love everything about you. Your stubborn streak because it’s absolutely delicious when you’re standing your ground even when you’ve realized you’re wrong. The mean side of you that comes out when you get protective because I know you’ll protect my boys with it. I love that you sent that fucking invoice because despite what happened between us, you know your worth and demand nothing less from those around you.”
“That’s something new I’m working on,” she says, most of the anger now gone from her voice. “You hurt me.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. I let old pain get in the way of us. As much as I’d like to say it’ll never happen again, I’ve been cut pretty deep as well. What I can promise is that I’ll do my best to have open conversations with you instead of letting things fester. I don’t want a single thing coming in between us.”
“You’re not with Emily?”
I shake my head. “She’s noteven a factor.”
“The boys deserve better than what they got,” she says.
“I couldn’t agree more, but lucky for them, they have something ten times better. That is if you’re willing to accept it.”
She shakes her head, that delicate tremble once again in her chin. “You’re fighting dirty.”
“We’re a package deal.”
“And if I only want the boys?”
“You’re stuck with me, Madison. Might as well accept it now because I’ll never give up on the idea of us.”
“I’m supposed to make you grovel more,” she mutters, her hands coming up to rest on my chest.
“Say the word,” I challenge.
“I’ll come back and help with the kids,” she says.
“That’s not enough.”
“That whole employee-with-benefits thing isn’t going to work for me.”
“I don’t need you to be their nanny.”
I curl a finger under her chin when she tries to look away again. The woman is so damned stubborn, but I love that part of her, too.
“If you need what this is between us to be platonic while we work everything else out, then that’s something I can attempt to do. I’ll understand because I know a few apologies and handful of words aren’t an instant fix, but I want you to know what I’m working toward and it isn’t a live-in nanny.”
I watch as she mulls over my words, her jaw working as she chews on the inside of her cheek.
“I want a life with you, Chase,” she says and my chest swells with all the possibilities. “But know that it terrifies me to be that vulnerable with someone.”
I press my sweat-covered temple against hers.
