A Second Chance at Forever (22 page)
“I’m sorry. I know it’s selfish.” She pushed against his chest, extricated herself from his embrace, from the power of his touch. “But I want all of you, Alex. Not bits and parts.”
She took a step back, needed to put some sort of distance between them or she’d cave. The tears she couldn’t hold back dripped down her cheeks, likely taking her makeup with it, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. In front of her stood the one man capable of bringing her the greatest joy…and the greatest pain.
She hoped he wouldn’t push, that somehow he understood, prayed he’d let her go, but Alex did the exact opposite. He stepped with her, so close his belly touched hers. His scent invaded her nostrils, spicy and masculine and all Alex, tormenting her as he threaded his fingers through hers.
“You’ve got all of me, Ang,” he whispered. “You always have. The only person who didn’t know it was me.”
Completely at his mercy now, her voice trembled as she pleaded with him one last time. “Please, Alex.”
Once again, he didn’t seem to be listening. He lifted his hands, skimming them over her skin, sliding them up her neck and into the hair at the back of her head. He pressed his nose to hers. “I love you.”
Stunned to her toes, Angela could only stare at him. Did she dare believe her ears? Was he toying with her?
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Yeah, that’s about how I felt when I finally figured it out. For months after Karen died, I’d wake up in the morning hoping I’d roll over and find her in bed beside me. That I’d wake up to discover it had all been some horrible dream. I didn’t think I’d ever get over that. Then you walked into my life. Every morning since you left, I’ve rolled over searching the bed for
you
. Every morning my chest aches when you’re not there.”
He released a pent up breath, his gaze following as his thumb dragged across her lower lip, before it shifted back to hers. His voice lowered to a harsh whisper, vibrated with unchecked emotion. “You brought life back into my world, Ang. Back into
me
. I’m not sure I know how to go back to living without you. Four days ago I decided I didn’t want to.”
He paused then, his speech apparently finished, and watched her with careful, worried eyes. Angela didn’t know what to say. Her heart filled with emotion, with love, awe, and overwhelming need. A lump formed in her throat and stuck there, tears welling up and overflowing before she could stop them. She’d dreamt of this moment every day for the last two weeks, but never once did she allow herself to think it would happen.
When she didn’t say anything, he drew his brows together in a tortured frown and stroked a hand down her cheek. “Baby you’re killing me. Please say something.”
Her lower lip quivered. All she could manage to choke out was, “Say it again.”
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I love you.”
Overwhelmed by the emotion flooding her system, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him so tightly that she was sure she had to be cutting off his circulation. Her senses filled with everything she’d been sure only yesterday she’d have to learn to live without—the clean scent of his skin, the subtle spicy aroma of his aftershave, the warmth of his body against hers.
The safety of his strong embrace.
She could do nothing more than cling to him, grateful for the feel of him in her arms again.
Alex seemed to suffer from the same affliction, for he let out a relieved groan. His arms tightened around her. “God it feels so good to hold you.”
It didn’t escape her notice, either, that she wasn’t the only one trembling. “You’re shaking,” she murmured at his throat.
He pulled back. If she didn’t know better, she’d almost say he looked worried. “I wasn’t sure you’d forgive me.”
She stroked a hand down his stubbled cheek. “I have to admit I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say that to me.”
He gave a slow, sad shake of his head. “I didn’t think I’d ever say it again. Didn’t think I’d ever feel it. When Karen died, I knew I’d eventually move on with my life, but I was positive I’d had my forever. That I wouldn’t be getting another chance. I sure as hell didn’t think I’d ever fall in love again. Then you walked out of my life, and I realized how wrong that felt. I realized
you
were my second chance at forever, and how stupid I’d be if I just let you go.”
She pressed herself into him, her breath hitching when his arms tightened around her. “I missed you,” she whispered.
He didn’t answer, but brushed his mouth over hers, this kiss slower, softer, so full of tender need Angela melted into him. His hands slid over her, up her back, down her sides, over the slope of her behind, leaving a trail of shivery fire everywhere his warm palms skimmed her curves. His mouth, however, refused to be rushed. He took his time, sipping and tasting, as if savoring the moment. Angela had no desire to hurry him.
How long they stood on her mother’s porch making up for too much lost time, she didn’t know or care, but somewhere in the distance a car door slammed.
When booted feet marched across the weathered porch, she pulled her mouth from Alex’s to find Brock behind him.
Arms folded across his chest, her brother cocked a blond brow at her.
Heat flooded up her neck into her face. It had to have been at least fifteen years since her brother had last caught her making out on the porch.
Brock seemed to take it in stride, for a grin split across his face. He looked like the cat who had happily and greedily eaten the canary. “’Bout time the two of you finally made up. I wasn’t sure who was more miserable, you or him.”
Alex dropped an arm, keeping one around Angela’s back and her body tucked against his side as he turned to Brock. He jerked his head in her direction. “You have any objections to me marrying your sister?”
Brock shook his head. “Not a one. You should ask her first, though.”
Then he pushed past them into the house.
“You should take that inside too,” Brock called out as he made his way into the kitchen. “You’re giving the neighbors a show. Mrs. Sampson across the street doesn’t look very happy about it.”
Remembering the last time she and Alex had gotten intimate on this porch, Angela’s cheeks heated.
Alex turned back to her. “I put the condo up for sale as of yesterday morning. I gave the D.A. a month, though. I need to distribute my cases among the other attorneys, make sure the files are all complete and everybody’s up to date. I don’t want to burn any bridges, but…” He shoved a hand into his right pocket and pulled out a set of keys, held them up to show her. “In about a month, I’m all yours.”
Angela stared at the keys in disbelief. “What are those?”
“I bought a house. It’s a couple of miles from here. Big house, nice fenced-in back yard.”
She couldn’t stop her brows from rising. “You bought a house?”
His smile widened. “I probably should have consulted you, but yeah. I bought a house. Mom took a look at it for me. It’s what took me four days to come back. I wanted to have things settled before I came to see you.”
She laid a hand against his chest. “Won’t you miss New York?”
“Honestly? Yeah. But there’s nothing there for me anymore. Everything I need is here. I want to go to sleep every night wrapped around your body and wake up to these beautiful eyes every morning.”
The thought settled in her bones, warm, cozy and just plain…right.
Tears once again pricked behind her eyelids, her love for this man expanding in her chest. She didn’t think she’d ever feel this way again either, didn’t think she’d ever want to, or that he could ever love
her
, yet here he stood.
She was his, and he was hers. It was as simple and uncomplicated as that. Everything else, the whys, hows, and whens, didn’t seem to matter much anymore.
She touched his cheek. “You thought this all out, didn’t you?”
“I wanted you to know I was serious when I came out here. Look, we can take this as slow as you want, honey, but I have to be honest. I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy.” He slid a hand over her stomach, warm and protective. “I’d like to be married before these guys are born.”
It sounded like heaven to her. She opened her mouth, to tell him so, but Alex continued before she had the chance.
“I’ll wait if I have to, but you should also know I’m fully prepared to spend the rest of my life convincing you to marry me.” He closed his arms tightly around her, pulling her flush against him, so close his breath mingled with hers.
Every inch of him pressed lightly into every inch of her, from the firmness of his chest down to the thick swell of his arousal against her belly.
“I’m a damn good attorney.” The cocky, self-assured man she’d met that first night at the club rose in his dark eyes as he rocked his hips against hers. “I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
Apparently he wasn’t above playing dirty.
Angela wound her arms around his neck and met his challenge head on. “Do I look like I’m saying no?”
Alex’s mouth curled into a grin, his eyes lighting up as he leaned in and nipped at her bottom lip, the playful moment melting into something softer, needier.
“I don’t want to live without you either,” she whispered. “I love you, Alex.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you too.”
A word about the author...
J.M. writes what she likes to call sweet and spicy contemporary romance. She's a stay-at-home mom by trade, married to her very own hero. They live in the Great Northwest with their two boys and two very spoiled puppies. J.M. has been devouring romances for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her passion.
To learn more about J.M., visit her on her website:
http://jmstewart.webs.com/
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