Page 94 of Worth the Fall

TIME FLIES... LIKE A TURKEY

THOMAS

The weeks seemed to fly by. It was as if the second Brooklyn had come into our lives, time sped up a notch or two. Or maybe my days had become so enjoyable that they felt faster somehow. We’d slipped into an easy routine. One where Brooklyn spent the night almost every night at our house and Clara woke us up each morning by snuggling in bed between us with the biggest smile on her face.

I’d never allowed myself to want this sort of thing before. A part of me never believed it was possible. That all changed when one smart-mouthed redhead waltzed into my life and took hold of my heart.

“I thought I had all I needed,” I said one evening after I went down on her. It was my favorite nighttime activity.

“What?” she asked, her breaths heady and labored, her fingers still playing with my hair.

“I really thought I was happy. I mean, happy enough. I was content. But then you came along, and I knew I’d never be satisfied if I didn’t have you in my life.”

It was a heavy admission, but I knew she could handle it. I’d fallen first. We both knew it. I wasn’t afraid to admit it.

“I was scared of the way you made me feel,” she said, and I noticed her eyes turning glassy. “Because every time I looked at you or Clara, I wanted to be in your life too. But I didn’t understand how I could feel that way when I barely knew either of you.”

“Love isn’t logical, baby,” I said, throwing the word out there to test the waters.

If she freaked out and tried to run, I’d chase her to the ends of the earth. There was no way I was letting this woman go without one hell of a fight.

“Are you trying to tell me something without actually saying it?” Her mouth tipped up into a half grin.

“Don’t want to scare you.”

“You can’t scare me anymore. I’m all in, babe,” she said as she leaned up to kiss my lips. I knew they still tasted like her, but she didn’t seem to care.

“I love you.” My heart was pounding inside my chest as I tried to convince myself that I’d be okay if she didn’t say the words back, but I knew it was a lie.

“I love you too.”

“You’re our future. I see it so clearly.” I wanted her to know exactly how strong my feelings were for her.

“What if I’m a bad mom to Clara?” she asked, and I loved how she thought of my daughter and took her into consideration.

“You could never be. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time, but I figure it out. We can figure it out together. I never thought I’d have a partner. Now, I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

“I feel the exact same way. It was never like this for me with Eli. I never felt like part of a team. Even though I was married, I felt really alone.”

She was at the point where she could talk about her ex-husband without any emotion clogging her throat. Almost like she was telling a story that had happened to someone else and not her. I just wanted her to be happy.

With me.

“You’ll never be alone again,” I said as I dived back under the covers, wanting to show her just how much I appreciated her choosing us.

And when she came on my tongue, I threw off the covers and flipped onto my back, ready to slip inside of her. She rode me until we both came undone, our bodies sweaty and slick with sweat. When she laid her head on top of my chest, she moved a few times until she was finally comfortable.