Page 47 of Hard To Stay

He gently touched my cheek. “When I first started this with you, I was so hell bent on saving you.” He paused. “But you ended up saving me. I held onto my past because it’s all I’ve ever known. I never realized how much it was holding me back until I finally let it go.” He placed my hand over his heart and brushed his lips against my forehead. “My heart beats for one person, and that’s you. I let you in, Lexi, when I promised myself that I would never allow anyone in again.”

His words shattered me in all the best ways possible. I felt the endless possibilities of a relationship that I never thought I’d ever have. Somewhere along the way the beautiful seed of love was planted inside me. Somewhere during our budding friendship and morning walks my feelings began to grow. Somewhere in-between our first kiss and this moment, Brad had stolen my heart. I didn’t ever want to get it back.

Hot, wet tears fell from my eyes, and then it dawned on me. I drew back and smacked him on the shoulder. He released his hold on me and blinked in confusion.

“I thought you were going to break up with me.” I said, between sobs.

Brad just stared at me. “What?”

I rested my hand against the base of my neck trying to get myself under control. “You were acting so weird in the car. And I thought after seeing how intense your conversation looked at the restaurant…”

He reached out and grabbed my hand. “You thought I was ending it?” He asked while I looked down at our joined hands. “Lexi, look at me.” His voice was stern as I lifted my eyes to his. “I’m sorry that you felt that way. Believe me when I say that is the last fucking thing I plan on doing.”

“I know that now.” I said, feeling stupid for jumping to conclusions. “Can we start over, because I feel like an ass?”

He chuckled and brought his lips back to mine. “God, I love you.”

More tears fell. Would I ever get used to hearing him tell me he loved me? He cupped my face, and I looked up at him with a small smile. “I still feel like an idiot.”

He smirked and slanted his head to the side. “Yeah, you are, but you’re MY idiot.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I smoothed my hand over his chest. He just told me he loved me. Now it was my turn to tell him. I dragged my hands down the base of his shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. My heart was pounding as I gathered the courage to say the words that he needed to hear. I was prepared to lay it all out there for him. I brought my hands up to his neck and folded them along the back and took a deep breath.

“Meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I have completely fallen in love with you, too. Everything you do. Everything you say. Everything you are and everything in between, you are…” Before I could finish my thought, Brad covered my lips with his. My fingers slid down his chest. His muscles were tight and hard, yet he still trembled under my touch.

His tongue took over the inside of my mouth and all I could taste was Brad. His hands slid into my hair, pulling me closer. My body was buzzing from head to toe with need. His hot, urgent kisses made a path across my skin with no sound in the room other than our heavy breathing.

He pulled back. “Lexi, do you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you.”

He intimately kissed my forehead and took my hand and led me towards his bedroom door. My eyebrows lifted in a quizzical look, trying to figure out why he looked so nervous.

He reached in and placed his warm palm against my cheek. “You know… a bet is a bet.”

I smiled as I recalled the wager we had made at the restaurant. “And I’m a woman of my word.”

His eyes locked on mine, never breaking contact. My knees felt wobbly, but I tried my best to play it cool. A crooked grin split his mouth lifting it higher on one side. My heart may have been thundering in my chest, but this was Brad. I trusted him with my life. There was nothing I feared from him. If anything, he made me feel brave.

He brushed my hair off my shoulder, the tips of his lingering fingers causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach. “You know I would never hurt you, right?”

I brought my hand up to his cheek and gave him the reassurance he needed. “Of course, I know. Now are you going to put those cuffs on me or are we going to stand here all night chatting? A bet is a bet and I am here to pay up.”

He laughed, but neither one of us moved. He knew how I felt about giving up control. I swore I would never allow another man to control me again, but that’s exactly what I had done. But with Brad it was different. I found comfort in his physical strength and I trusted him more than I trusted myself.

He reached for my hand, brought it to his mouth and pressed a kiss on the inside of my wrist. “You’re safe with me.” He assured me, as he led me into his bedroom.

I stopped, turned around and stood on my tippy toes, “I know,” I said as I pressed a kiss on his jaw. “Now let’s get this going because I’m afraid once we start I’m going to have a hard time keeping my hands off you.”

He grinned at me. “Okay then, you’re under arrest gorgeous. You have the right to remain silent…” he smirked. “But I seriously doubt you’ll be able to.”

His gaze was so tender as he started down at me. I could tell by the way his hands shook when they slid around my waist that he was just as nervous as I was. It felt like this man was undoing something inside me. Something I never realized I needed.

Smiling, I shook of my nerves and focused on his trusting eyes. I could do this.

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