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With a s the moment to end and reality to crash back down over us I felt his body stiffen when I began to sit up, holding me in place

Did he feel it, too? Did it torture hio as much as it did me?

If I allowed myself a moment of honesty, I’d adan, the an than I’d realized He was uy I fell for, and I couldn’t trust hi another greedy touch as I sat up Before I let go fully, his hands went to the sides ofaway final stray tears

"I’m sorry Out of everyone, I never wanted to hurt you I’htless and careless I’d never allowed anyone in after Natasha left, yet I couldn’t keep you away I’ I jogged behind you, ad to reach out and snatch you up to have e of you in those little shorts you earing" He s while my cheeks flushed

"I have never beendown a back country road, but then you went and leapt over that da inside me cracked opened, and I knew you could be so ht tryst It terrified me how quickly I wanted to know more about you"

My eyes fell to er to takelossy with unshed tears

"I tried to fight it, Cassandra I thought if I could charht, that it would make you no different than any other wo I loved that about you"

There was that word again--a word I couldn’t hear from his perfect lips He loved that about me

Wait, loved? As in past tense? Did it even matter anymore?

Itin and touching ently His hold fell froh he were afraid he’d scare me away, his hand slid toelse; I just stayed there, inhaling the et all the reasons why I couldn’t let hiainst his and sed the lu in my throat

"I can’t," I murmured, breathless "I’m so…scared Please…"

He cupped my face and pulled me back to see it clearly "I know, and I’m well aware that I don’t deserve you But I need you to know I never , and I still do You’re the only woman I’ve ever felt this way about"

His thued to connect with his once more Yet I kneasn’t ready, and didn’t believe I ever would be For forgiveness, perhaps, but I’d never be able to forget all the red flags that had been in e--for me

"I can’t walk away Not fro for any information from the doctors in the hospital I wouldn’t have survived had I lost you, and now you’re here, in an, I--"

"It’s okay to be frightened; hell, I’ve never been more terrified in ht to hate ht now"

"I don’t hate you I hateon a fir you need--everything you alanted My heart and soul belong to you, and I’ll wait as long as it takes"