Page 60 of Second Draft

I feel like such an asshole right now. Pushing her to go, after everything that they did to her.

“You should have told me, I would never have made you go.” Threading my fingers with hers, I bring her hand to my lips and kiss each knuckle.

“No. You were right. I needed to see her one last time. I know in her own twisted way she was trying to protect me.”

I don’t say what I really think. Instead, I just hold her, and press my lips into her hair.

The sound of the old clock in the hallway, Layla’s shallow, uneven breaths, are the only noises for a long time.

“I didn’t sleep with anyone else until Travis,” she says, shocking the hell out of me. “I know you probably won’t believe me–”

“I do.” I cup her chin and twist to look at her. “I knew who you were the first day I saw you. Good. Pure. Innocent.”

She shakes her head and squeezes her eyes tightly. “I’m none of those things. I haven’t been for a very long time.”

Fat tears slide down her face.

“Yes.” I drag my thumbs across her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “You are. None of what you’ve told me changes that.”

“When I found out I was pregnant again, I was so scared. But then I thought…maybe it was a second chance. I know it’s silly. I’m still an unwed mother having an unplanned pregnancy, and I know it’s going to change everything in my life, but this time I get a choice.”

“It’s not silly. And you’renotalone.” I kiss her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, her mouth, needing her to know that I’m not going anywhere. That I’m hers, just as much as she’s mine.

When I press my mouth against hers, her lips are hard against mine, but slowly, she begins to return my kiss. Soon her body relaxes, and I can feel the tension melting away.

“Marry me,” I murmur, stroking her hair.

“What?” she pulls back and frowns.

“Marry me. Be my wife.”

She shakes her head. “Why? After everything I told you.”

“Because I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything in my life. I know it’s messy, and there’ll be bumps ahead, but I want to make this thing real between us. Legal and binding.”

Her brows are drawn down, and she’s frowning at me. Not the reaction I was hoping for.

“You’re serious?”

“More serious than I’ve been about anything in my life.” I place my hand on her stomach. “And I want this child to be mine.”

She tilts her head, gaze narrowing. “Carter–”

“Listen to me before you say anything. Travis has already signed the papers. There’s nothing stopping me from claiming the child as mine.” Twining our fingers, I rest my forehead against hers. “We’ll be a family.”

Her lips part and her eyes close. She whispers, “You’re too good to me.”

There’s an ache in my chest that warns me she’s going to say no. That’s she’s still going to run from me.

“I just…”

Shit. Here it comes. Whatever excuse she’s made now to reaffirm her delusional idea that she’s not worthy of more.

She exhales an uneven breath. “I think it’s best–”

“Okay.” Frustration seeps into my voice, constricting my throat.

I’m a confident guy. Maybe even verging on arrogant. But I can’t help the insecurities that creep unwarranted into the back of my mind.

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