\u201cYou\u2019re trying to spoil me, I think,\u201d Phelan murmured, fingers tangled in Jacqueline\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n
She laughed in the darkness.\u00a0 \u201cReally?\u00a0 Is that what you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned as her lips captured his again, her hands warm and gentle against his face.\u00a0 He held her tight, rolling onto his side so they lay in the narrow cot belly to belly instead of her straddling him on the bed.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I know why, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re making sure I won\u2019t go anywhere,\u201d he said, the tip of his nose brushing hers.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I would tell you that you don\u2019t have to worry about that since I already gave my word, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacqueline laughed.\u00a0 \u201cYou found me out, huh?\u00a0 Figured it all out.\u00a0 It couldn\u2019t have anything to do with the fact that I know you\u2019ve had it rough and I feel like you deserve something good for once.\u00a0 If I can give that to you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
He closed his eyes and sighed, sagging.\u00a0 \u201cJac.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPhelan.\u201d\u00a0 Her fingers brushed his jaw.\u00a0 \u201cI love you.\u00a0 You deserve that, but that\u2019s not why I love you.\u00a0 I love you because I do<\/i>.\u00a0 Because I can\u2019t not<\/i> love you.\u201d\u00a0 Her lips brushed his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re stuck with me,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wish that we\u2019d met under different circumstances.\u00a0 I wonder what it would have been like if we had.\u00a0 <\/i>\u201cSorry,\u201d he whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Jac.\u00a0 This is\u2026this is new.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI realize that,\u201d she said softly, her arms sliding around him.\u00a0 She tugged him close and tucked her body against his.\u00a0 He shivered as he wrapped an arm around her, resting his forehead against hers.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve been alone for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never been in love,\u201d Phelan said.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve never let myself be in love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it is.\u201d\u00a0 He opened his eyes and stared at her in the darkness, barely able to see the outline of her face in the night.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just hard.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be.\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline kissed his forehead.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll figure it out\u2014we\u2019ll learn together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much, Jac.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo much what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo do,\u201d he said in a bare whisper.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s so much to do and not enough time for any of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in trouble.\u00a0 We just don\u2019t know it yet.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cYou\u2019re trying to spoil me, I think,\u201d Phelan murmured, fingers tangled in Jacqueline\u2019s hair. She laughed in the darkness.\u00a0 \u201cReally?\u00a0 Is that what you think?\u201d \u201cAbsolutely.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned as her lips captured his again, her hands warm and gentle against … Continue reading