Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95545 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
My throat fills with so much emotion that it feels like it’s closing up on me. That’s exactly what I’d thought. And because of that, I’d pushed him away before he could cut me loose like the first time.
“I did the one thing I promised never to do,” he says, voice ringing throughout the room, “I broke your trust and hurt you.” His chest rises and falls with every deep inhalation. “I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that the meeting with Candace didn’t go well.”
From the pain swimming around in his eyes, that seems more like an understatement. It takes everything I have inside not to pull him into my arms and soothe away the agony that radiates off him in heavy, suffocating waves.
“I’ve spent my entire life holding everyone around me at a distance so I wouldn’t get hurt. It was never a conscious decision, more like a reflex. But I don’t want to live like that anymore. I don’t want to continually push away the people who matter most. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this relationship work.” He inches closer. “I love you, Lys. Even when it scared the hell out of me, I still loved you. I never stopped.”
Emotion crashes over me, through me, until I’m overwhelmed with the sensation.
Colton clears his throat. “I don’t deserve another chance, but I really hope you’ll give me one. Let me prove that I can be the guy you not only need but deserve.”
Oh, God.
Almost collectively, as if it’s a synchronized movement, everyone shifts their gazes to me. Sighs escape from a few of the dancers.
“If you don’t want him, girl, I’d be more than happy to take him off your hands,” Zoe hollers from across the room.
Her voice snaps me out of the mental fog that has descended. Instead of responding, I run across the floor before hurtling myself against his chest. With a soft grunt, his arms band around me, pulling me close, and squeezing me tight.
“I really do love you, Lys,” he whispers against my ear. “You’re everything to me. And I hate that I made you feel as if you weren’t.”
“I love you, too.” I always have—even when I didn’t want to. Even when I did everything possible to forget about him and move on.
He pulls away enough to meet my gaze. “Now that I have you, I’m not walking out of here without you.”
A smile trembles around the edges of my lips before I glance hesitantly at my instructor.
With a shake of his head, Monsieur Dupre rolls his eyes and flicks a hand at me as if he can’t be bothered to expend a full movement on my sorry ass. “Leave. You have already taken up enough of my valuable time.”
Heat floods my cheeks as a round of applause erupts throughout the room.
“You heard the man,” Colton says with a grin, “let’s get out of here.”
With a quick nod, I untangle myself from him before scampering over to my bag. I shove my shoes into the small duffle and throw on an oversized shirt before hauling up a pair of black leggings. And then I’m dressed and ready to go. Monsieur Dupre will most definitely make me pay for this tomorrow, but I’m not going to focus on that at the moment. How can I when Colton is holding out his hand for me to take?
As I slip my fingers into his, he says, “You know I’m never going to let you go, right?”
Giddiness bursts inside me like an overinflated balloon. For as long as I’ve known Colton, this is all I’ve ever wanted. And now, finally, after all these years, I have it.
I have him.
He’s mine, and I’m his.
“I’m glad you feel that way,” I tell him, “because I have no plans to let you go either.”
Epilogue
Colton
Three years later...
I roll over and stretch out an arm, only to find the space next to me empty and the sheets already cooling. I crack open a blurry eye and glance around the room. The sun is just peeking over the horizon, painting the vast stretch of sky with pink and purple strokes.
Where the hell did that girl disappear to?
I toss off the covers and pad over to the bathroom.
Empty.
Since it’s just the two of us, I don’t bother to throw on any clothes. I surprised Alyssa with a weeklong vacation at the beach. One of my father’s friends owns a house on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, right on the ocean. We can hear the crash of the waves from our bedroom window. It’s the perfect sound to fall asleep to with Alyssa tucked in my arms.
Once I hit the first floor, the scent of fresh-brewed coffee permeates the air. The door to the patio is open. I should have known she was out on the deck. We arrived a few days ago, and she can’t get enough of the salty breeze. I push open the screen door and find her sitting at the small, iron table, staring out at the water in the distance. There’s something hypnotic about the waves as they roll onto the sandy stretch of shoreline.