CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ALEX

Pain radiates through me, making each breath feel like I'm sucking it in through a batch of my aunt's thick pea soup.

For the first time in my life, I wanted more. I'm not content with what I got. I want Fern.

And she's not ready.

Maybe I came on too strong, didn't give her a chance to explain herself. To tell me why moving is her only option.

She doesn't owe me anything, least of all an explanation for her decision. A decision that was no doubt made long before I showed up.

It's then that I realize Fern doesn't owe me, but maybe I owe her.

Slinking out of my truck, I stand shamefaced on her porch and tap out a careful knock.

The minutes creep by and just when I fear she's not going to open the door, she does. At the sight of her red splotchy face, everything in me weeps. This isn't what I wanted. Yes, I was blindsided by her news and hurt, but lashing out at her was wrong.

I open my arms and Fern throws herself against me, her arms wrapping so tightly around me that I stagger back a step. I hug her back, the both of us rocking as her hot tears soak my shirt.

"I'm sorry," she sobs.

"Fern, no. No, you have nothing to be sorry for," I soothe, rubbing my hands up and down her narrow back. "I'm the one who's sorry. I'm just a big lug sometimes, and I have no right to come into your life and start making demands."

Her tear-soaked face turns up to me as her watery brown eyes blink rapidly to dispel the tears. "I let you into my life. Or rather I want to let you in," she chokes out.

My chest is so tight yet at her words a bit of hope loosens the vise-like grip the pain of losing her was causing.

"I want that too, honey," I confess, gathering her close and feeling the thud of her heart against me. "This is all new to me and I rushed ahead making plans I had no business making."

She sniffs. "It's new to me too."

"But you were married…" I trail off.

A trembling smile lifts her lips. "To a real asshole. I barely know you, Alex, but I know enough to know you're a good man." She releases a shuddering sigh and tightens her arms around me as she buries her face into my chest. "I'm falling in love with you," she murmurs into the wet fabric of my shirt.

Her words are so faint I barely make them out. My heart catches hold of their meaning before my brain can catch up and a happiness so pure and light fills me that I'm surprised I'm not floating.

I cup her damp cheeks and urge her face up.

"I'm falling for you, too," I say softly, bending down to capture her lips in a kiss.

Her mouth moves over mine, her tongue shyly sweeping out to tease at mine. The kiss deepens, and I lift her into my arms. Fern's legs wrap around my waist and my cock eagerly bucks into the heat of her covered center.

The sound of vehicles crunching through the gravel of her driveway has my fingers tensing on her ass.

My ears burn as several horns blast and a few catcalls split the air.

Poor Fern turns a deep tomato red and frantically squirms to get out of my arms.

"Guess I'm late for work," I say, dragging in another deep breath that's full of the scent of her. "Can we talk more after I get off?"

She wiggles to get down and reluctantly I set her on her feet but keep ahold of her arms. Fern peeks around my bulk to see the guys heading into the backyard. A few shoot us grins and thumbs up, but otherwise the worst of it is over.

"I plan to do a lot more than just talk," she says, giving me a saucy grin.

"I won't say no to that," I whisper, bending down to get another of her sweet kisses that will need to tie me over until tonight.

We have a lot to talk about. I don't understand if her decision to move to Georgia is set in stone, or if there's any way I can get her to move in with me instead. Nor if that's even something she would be willing to consider.

Things are moving fast, but when it's right, it's right. And I can't imagine anything more right in this world than having Fern in my arms and in my life.