him. Not that he could blame her.
He gave a miserable shake of his head. “I don’t know. I need time to think. Truth is, I flew out on the spur of the moment. When you refused to answer your phone, I had to see you. To see it in your eyes for myself.”
She stared at him, her gaze softening. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
And then some. Too much.
“I won’t let you do this alone. I don’t know what kind of an asshole your ex-husband was, but that’s not my style.” He took one of her hands and stroked his thumb across her knuckles, unable to resist the simple need to touch her, to connect to her. “We’ll figure this out, Ang. One day at a time.”
****
Seated on the old swing later that night, Angela turned her gaze to the opposite end of the porch. Alex leaned against the railing as he stared out into the darkness beyond the awning. The soft light beside the door cast shadows over the deck, illuminating his back and showcasing the stiff set of his shoulders. It was after midnight. The night was calm and quiet, filled only with the sounds of crickets and heat bugs chirping.
They’d come out here ten minutes ago, but so far neither of them had said anything. The instant they were alone, the air between them filled with tension. It filled her with wants and needs and way too many memories.
Dinner had been every bit as awkward. The evening had been filled with one too many heated glances across the dinner table, across the kitchen when he’d helped her clean up, eventually following them out into the backyard when they’d all sat around the patio table to chat. They’d talked about normal things. Work. Daily life. Weather. The chit chat had been painful. There’d been a hunger in the depths of his eyes when he looked at her that had made her ache. Subtle, like he tried to hide it, but undeniably there.
“I’ve thought about you, you know,” he said finally. “Thought about calling you a million times just to hear the sound of your voice.”
“Why didn’t you?” The longing in his tone left her with a deep need to know. She’d yearned to hear his voice, too. Seeing him standing in the doorway tonight had left her conflicted, knowing full well it was only supposed to be one brilliant night with a man who’d made her feel like a woman for the first time in her life.
“Would you even have wanted to hear from me?” he asked.
She twisted her hands together, knew she shouldn’t say it, but quietly admitted, “Very much.”
He glanced back at her, then closed the space between them, hesitated for a moment before reaching down and pulling her out of her seat. As he tugged her against his warm body, every ounce of breath left her lungs. His hand came up, his thumb caressing her lower lip. His touch was light and hesitant, as if he hadn’t been able to help himself.
He lowered his head but stopped, a hairsbreadth separating them. His mouth hovered above her, so close yet achingly far away. Frustration sang through her. She yearned to feel his lips make contact with hers, to feel his passion again.
She curled her fingers around his shirt, used the purchase to pull herself closer. “Please, Alex.”
“I want you.”
His hands slid into her hair, cradling the back of her head, tugging her imperceptibly closer. He whispered against her mouth as he brushed his lips over hers. So close they shared a single breath, his touch so light it electrified her nerve endings, made every one extra sensitive.
“God how I want you.” He pulled back enough to look at her face and brushed her hair back. “I can’t promise you forever right now. When Karen and Hailey died, it ripped my heart out. My entire world fell apart, and frankly, I’m still picking up the pieces. I can’t think beyond today at this point. I need your patience, Ang. But are you even willing to do that? Take a risk and let me learn to love all over again?”
Angela could only stare at him, confusion roiling in her
He gave a miserable shake of his head. “I don’t know. I need time to think. Truth is, I flew out on the spur of the moment. When you refused to answer your phone, I had to see you. To see it in your eyes for myself.”
She stared at him, her gaze softening. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
And then some. Too much.
“I won’t let you do this alone. I don’t know what kind of an asshole your ex-husband was, but that’s not my style.” He took one of her hands and stroked his thumb across her knuckles, unable to resist the simple need to touch her, to connect to her. “We’ll figure this out, Ang. One day at a time.”
****
Seated on the old swing later that night, Angela turned her gaze to the opposite end of the porch. Alex leaned against the railing as he stared out into the darkness beyond the awning. The soft light beside the door cast shadows over the deck, illuminating his back and showcasing the stiff set of his shoulders. It was after midnight. The night was calm and quiet, filled only with the sounds of crickets and heat bugs chirping.
They’d come out here ten minutes ago, but so far neither of them had said anything. The instant they were alone, the air between them filled with tension. It filled her with wants and needs and way too many memories.
Dinner had been every bit as awkward. The evening had been filled with one too many heated glances across the dinner table, across the kitchen when he’d helped her clean up, eventually following them out into the backyard when they’d all sat around the patio table to chat. They’d talked about normal things. Work. Daily life. Weather. The chit chat had been painful. There’d been a hunger in the depths of his eyes when he looked at her that had made her ache. Subtle, like he tried to hide it, but undeniably there.
“I’ve thought about you, you know,” he said finally. “Thought about calling you a million times just to hear the sound of your voice.”
“Why didn’t you?” The longing in his tone left her with a deep need to know. She’d yearned to hear his voice, too. Seeing him standing in the doorway tonight had left her conflicted, knowing full well it was only supposed to be one brilliant night with a man who’d made her feel like a woman for the first time in her life.
“Would you even have wanted to hear from me?” he asked.
She twisted her hands together, knew she shouldn’t say it, but quietly admitted, “Very much.”
He glanced back at her, then closed the space between them, hesitated for a moment before reaching down and pulling her out of her seat. As he tugged her against his warm body, every ounce of breath left her lungs. His hand came up, his thumb caressing her lower lip. His touch was light and hesitant, as if he hadn’t been able to help himself.
He lowered his head but stopped, a hairsbreadth separating them. His mouth hovered above her, so close yet achingly far away. Frustration sang through her. She yearned to feel his lips make contact with hers, to feel his passion again.
She curled her fingers around his shirt, used the purchase to pull herself closer. “Please, Alex.”
“I want you.”
His hands slid into her hair, cradling the back of her head, tugging her imperceptibly closer. He whispered against her mouth as he brushed his lips over hers. So close they shared a single breath, his touch so light it electrified her nerve endings, made every one extra sensitive.
“God how I want you.” He pulled back enough to look at her face and brushed her hair back. “I can’t promise you forever right now. When Karen and Hailey died, it ripped my heart out. My entire world fell apart, and frankly, I’m still picking up the pieces. I can’t think beyond today at this point. I need your patience, Ang. But are you even willing to do that? Take a risk and let me learn to love all over again?”
Angela could only stare at him, confusion roiling in her
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