“That’s a solid idea,” he said. “I’m happy to hear it. Anything else other than counseling?”
She gave a watery laugh and said, “I’m going to start there and see what happens. Oh, and I need to apologize to Cora. She’s kind of pissed at me.”
“No. She’s hurt,” he corrected.
Taryn’s eyes narrowed and she asked, “You’d know this because?”
“We may have been commiserating earlier today via instant message,” he admitted uncomfortably.
She shrugged at him and said, “It’s my own fault. I fucked up the only two decent relationships I’ve ever had in a span of days. It makes sense that you’d talk about it with her.”
“No, you didn’t. She’s hurt but she’ll forgive you.”
“I really hope you’re right,” Taryn responded, chewing on her lower lip.
“You didn’t fuck things up with me either. You hurt me. You made me angry. We can work through that though. I haven’t given up on you.”
She tried to suppress the joy bubbling up inside of her, but still she asked, “You haven’t?”
He shook his head and said, “I was angry earlier. I wanted you to take the first step. To come and talk to me, and then when you did, I was an asshole. I’m sorry.”
“I see,” she said, confused.
“No. I don’t think you do,” he said. “Do you really think I’d be over here discussing any of this with you if I wasn’t still ridiculously in love with you?”
She watched him, her breath caught in her throat. Relief swamped her senses. “Oh, thank god you didn’t let me fuck this up.”
The look he gave her now was so steady. It was so patient, that she did the only thing she could think of. She said, “I love you, too, Evan. And it’s terrifying.”
“It is,” he agreed. He held out his arms and said, “Now, come here, please.”
Eyes watering again, she moved over on the couch and crawled into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and crushed her against his chest.
She pressed her mouth against the side of his throat and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
He clutched her so tightly to him that she could feel the vibrations of his chest when he said, “It’s okay, baby. Next time just talk to me.”
“I will,” she whispered. “I promise.”
He loosened his grip on her so he could look at her face. Seeing her tears, he wiped at them and said, “No more crying now.”
“Happy tears this time,” she said, swiping them from her cheek.
He leaned in, pressing his lips against the damp tracks that ran down her cheek. When she shifted her face slightly, her lips found his. They sank into a slow, gentle kiss. She clutched at his shoulders as his tongue explored her mouth.
Her profound sense of relief eventually gave way to something much more primal. As the kiss continued, she felt the hand that had been gently stroking down her back begin to roam with more urgency. She scooted closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, and moaned against his lips.
Without breaking the kiss, he scooped her into his arms and blindly led them toward the bedroom, managing to get them there in one piece. When he set her down, they began pulling urgently at each other’s clothing as if they had been separated for years instead of just a few short days. Heedlessly, they tossed aside clothing until they stood there naked.
He took her hand, tugging her down to the bed to lie beside him. They stretched out next to each other, bodies pressed together. The look in his eye was so intense that Taryn’s heart began to flutter.
When he reached down to cup her face he said, “I love you.”
Her heart so full, she said, “I love you, too. So much.” She still couldn’t believe that he had forgiven her. It was so much more than she could have ever hoped for.
He shifted the hand from her face and pressed her so she lay flat on her back. As he nipped at her lips, he said, “I want you so badly right now, sweetheart.”
“I’m yours,” she whispered against his mouth. “Take me.
Slowly, gently, his hands stroked over her until she was all but whimpering his name.
Eventually, he settled between her thighs. Propping himself up on one arm, he rubbed the tip of his cock against her, teasing them both.
Taryn reached down, her hands pulling at his hips. “I need you inside me, Evan.”
With no further comment, he tilted his hips and sank into her. Once he was buried inside her he said, “You feel so fucking good.”
In answer she moaned his name and rolled her hips against his.
Slowly, gently, gazes locked, they continued to rock against each other. This time it was different, she realized. It had always been intense. The connection had always been real and deep, but this time they were making love. That knowledge alone pushed her toward the edge.
She felt him swell inside her, stretching her, filling her. Feeling ripples of pleasure flow through her system, she continued to work her hips against his, her fingers clutching at his back. When his breathing became more shallow, she knew that he hovered right there on the edge. He shifted his hips so that he now made direct contact with her g-spot each time he slid into her.
When he increased his pace, the way that she rolled her hips against his became much less retrained. She moaned as he pressed his mouth to hers. Seconds later, they both cried out in unison against each other’s mouths as he came inside her, pushing her over the edge.
While they were still joined, she ran her mouth along the salty, slick skin of his neck and said, “I love you.”
His voice soft, he said, “I know you do. I love you, too.”
She made a sound of regret when he slid out of her and moved to the side. He drew her immediately to his side. She snuggled close, still overwhelmed with the intensity between them.
He stroked a hand down her back and said, “Not how I pictured the evening going, but I’m grateful for it.”
She placed a kiss against his collarbone and said, “This is so much more than I had hoped for. I was just hoping at some point you wouldn’t hate me.”
His hand stopped and he leaned his head down. Looking at her, he said, “I don’t think I could ever hate you.”
“For that I’m eternally grateful,” she said. “Just so you know, I might screw up again, but I’m trying.”
“Just talk to me,” he said. “That’s all I ask.”
“Done,” she agreed. “By the way. Why do you have a contractor coming in? I was going to ask you earlier.”
“Eventually I’m going to turn the upper floor into one huge living space. That can wait though. You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m not?” she asked.
“Did you still want to?” he asked, confusion lacing his voice.
“No. Not at all,” she said. “I did give you my written notice though.”
“Did you?” he asked. “Must have misplaced that. Sorry.”
“Good,” she said. “Now you’re stuck with me.”
He shifted onto his side and looked at her, a grin on his face. Just before his lips met hers, he said, “No one I’d rather be stuck with.”
Epilogue
Taryn walked through the door of the shop and heard the familiar jingling of the bells. Evan looked up from where he was perched behind the counter and grinned.
He said, “Just who I wanted to see. Come here. Good day?”
As she skirted the counter, she moved into his waiting arms and said, “Long day. It’s much better now, though.”
“It’s going to get even better in a minute. Look what showed up,” he said, gesturing to the plans that lay on the counter.
It had been six months since Christmas. During that time, she could count the number of nights that they’d spent apart on one hand. When he’d asked, it seemed like the next logical step to move in with him.
“Yes!” she said. “They finally got here?”
“They did,” he said. “By the way, I asked her to make a
couple of small changes. I hope you don’t mind.”
She’d been an integral part of the design process. Especially the kitchen. Frowning, she asked, “They didn’t mess with the kitchen, did they? I love the kitchen.”
“Nope,” he said. “I just turned that dead space on the end into a couple of bedrooms. It seemed silly to have so much storage.”
“Oh,” she said, shrugging. “Okay. We already had a guest room, but whatever.”
“They wouldn’t be guest rooms,” he said. “They would be for our children.”
She froze. As his statement sank in, she turned to face him. When she saw that he was kneeling, her mouth dropped open. He reached out and took her shaking hand in his.
“Live with me. Make a family with me. Let me love you for the rest of our lives, Taryn. Will you marry me?”
She nodded, her vision blurred by the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. She moved her shaking hand toward his face and said, “Yes. I will.”
She saw as he exhaled the breath that she hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
His own hand shaking, he slid the ring on her finger.
She admired it and said, “It’s perfect. How did you know?”
“Because I know you,” he said.
He was right. Evan had this way of seeing inside her. He knew what she wanted, what she needed, even when she was too afraid to ask for it. The fact that he wanted to make a family with her, filled a small void she hadn’t even known existed.
“So, children?” she asked, her eyes shining.
He gave her a soft smile and said, “If you want them.”
“I do. Very much,” she said.
When he rose, she stepped into his arms, completely overwhelmed. He cupped her face in both of his hands and leaned in to give her a searing kiss. It held the promise of love, family, and so much more.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle Roth is a novelist and food writer from Los Angeles, California. When she’s not disappearing into foreign lands, or making two perfect strangers that she invented fall in love, she’s probably curled up somewhere with a good book.
In her spare time she is typically hanging out with her awesome boyfriend and their two equally awesome cats. She likes to take road trips to nowhere in particular, cook elaborate meals, and be nerdy on the internet. Visit her blog at www.michelleroth.net/ for all the latest updates.
For all titles by Michelle Roth, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/michelle-roth
Siren Publishing, Inc.
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In Full Bloom [Second Chances 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 21