“I wanted to talk about this weeks ago.”
“I know. And I didn’t. But I’ve had time to think, to miss you like crazy, so now I do,” I said, matching his stance. If he wanted to scream and yell, I’d let him. I was ready to fight for him, with or without an audience.
I could feel Alicia’s eyes on us and the second she opened her mouth to excuse herself I was relieved. Bye, Felicia.
“Good luck working all this out,” she said as she left. Oh, we were working it out. I wasn’t leaving the state of Texas without him knowing how much I loved him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked when we were alone.
“I told you I’d come to one event,” I said. I smiled, hoping to break the tension, but when his expression didn’t change, I pursed my lips and sucked in a breath through my nose. “I wanted to see you,” I confessed. “I think I made a mistake.”
“You think or you know?” he asked plainly. He stepped up to me. His arms still crossed and his back straight as he stared down into my eyes. “‘Cause I’m real tired of you thinking that you know.” I held my breath as his face leaned toward mine. “This is more than just an ‘I’m sorry’ situation,” he added. “If you came here thinking that I’d just forgive you, you were wrong.”
“I know it’s more than that,” I told him, reaching up to touch his arm. He didn’t flinch. I moved my hand back and felt completely frustrated. The stoic way he was standing in front of me had my heart beating double time. He was intimidating me, which I was pretty sure was his exact intention. “And I am sorry.”
“For what exactly?”
“For not talking to you about everything I was feeling,” I began. “For hurting you.” He swallowed hard at that and I knew that it was true. At least I was getting some kind of response out of him. The strong silent approach he was taking had me in a cold sweat, the desire that I still had for him was the only thing that was keeping me from freezing up completely. “For wasting time not being with you,” I said, slowly reaching out to touch him again. I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted him to know how badly I needed him. His body tensed under my hand and I could feel the heat coming off of him even through his jersey. “For being scared and acting on a stupid impulse that I should’ve discussed with you like an adult instead of behaving like a scared kid.”
His eyes fell shut for a brief moment and the overwhelming hope that he was ready to forgive me lingered right in front of me.
“Do you know how fucking frustrating it is to have the one person you want to talk to more than anything ignore you? Block you?” he said, reaffirming his stance. “I did everything I was supposed to do to make things work between us. I put in the effort and you didn’t even care enough to talk to me about why you wanted to end things.” He punctuated the last statement with a sigh. “I don’t know, Georgia. Maybe I’m not boyfriend material after all.”
Panic stung like bees in my belly. “It wasn’t you, Brett,” I swore. He had been the perfect boyfriend. I felt terrible for making him feel insecure about it. He’d been patient with me when I needed it the most. And supportive and loving. I couldn’t fault him for a single thing. “It was all me. I panicked. I was afraid of what would happen if I lost you, if something happened to you. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“I can’t be with someone who can’t handle the stress,” he snapped. “My job is a risk. I need someone who will support me. I need someone who knows how important this is to me. I’m sorry you lost someone before, but I can’t change who I am and what I do. You wouldn’t like me as that guy anyway.”
“I never meant to hurt you,” I promised. “And I don’t want you to change. I want to be with you just as you are,” I continued to plead my case and earn his forgiveness. “I lov—” I wanted him to know that I was that person, but the second we heard two dirt bikes roar past the shed we were standing in my voice was lost in the noise. The open doors allowing anyone who wanted a front row seat to the Brett and Georgia show full access. If I needed to declare my love for him publicly I would. I’d go to the announcer’s stand and make a fool out of myself if that meant winning back his love. I knew by the way his eyes were lingering on my lips that he knew what I was trying to tell him. I love you.
He grabbed my hand and led me to the back corner of the shed. Behind all of the equipment I assumed they used to prepare the track, we were completely concealed from prying eyes. We were alone. As he turned me in his arms, pulling my back against his chest and circling his arms around my waist, I knew that had been his motivation.
“I really am sor—” I tried to turn in his arms, but his arms tightened around me.
“Don’t move,” he said, his voice deeper and more commanding than I’d ever heard. “I need you to hear me,” he added. “I know if I look you in the eye I won’t be able to stay mad at you and I need to tell you a few things first.” His hands moved to my hips. “I get that you were scared,” he began. “I know that you’ve been through a lot and being with me is terrifying, but I’m done with the back and forth, Georgia.” He slowly pushed my hair to one side. The warmth of his body against mine was matched by the feel of his breath on my neck, causing my body to feel as if it could burst into flames at any moment. I let my head fall to the side as he held his lips only centimeters from my skin—teasing me, but not letting his mouth fall on my skin. “If you’re here, and you seriously want to be with me, then I need to know that it’s for real. That it’s forever.”
“I do,” I insisted, my voice a breathy whisper. I could feel the rise and fall of his chest against my back. I wanted to turn and look him in the eye. I wanted him to know how serious I was.
“I can’t just keep hoping that you won’t bail every time you get scared.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
“If you’re mine then you’re mine,” he said, finally touching his mouth to my neck. “For good.”
“Yes,” I breathed out as his lips drifted slowly across my skin—down the slope of my neck to my shoulder and back. “Forever,” I promised, my words a plea for him to continue. I’d missed his touch even more than I’d thought. My thighs clenched together as he held me against him. Even the thick material of his riding pants couldn’t hide the fact that he wanted me just as badly.
“And for the record,” he said. “I haven’t been with anyone else. You’re the only one I want.”
“Show me. Please,” I begged, his words spurring more determination inside of me to convince him that he was all I wanted.
His grip on me loosened and I slowly turned in his arms. I expected to waste no time pressing my lips to his, but the second I looked in his eyes, he spoke.
“I won’t be able to take you walking away from me again,” he whispered, his eyes almost misty as he spoke.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I placed my hand on his cheek. “I love you too much not be with you. Whatever the risk.” His mouth was on mine almost immediately—a welcomed sensation that I had worried I’d never feel again. I grabbed his shirt and closed the distance between our bodies. As our lips and tongues re-familiarized themselves, he backed me toward the wall. Blindly, I let him position our bodies where he wanted and enjoyed his mouth on mine.
One hand slipped under my dress as he lowered his mouth to my chest. The other hand slipped the strap of my dress down my shoulder until my breast was revealed. He wrapped his lips around my nipple and toyed with my flesh until I was writhing. I tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his skin against mine. He tore it over his head as I reached for the fastener on his pants with shaky hands. I couldn’t move quickly enough. I’d never wanted him more than in that moment. I felt the sting of elastic as he ripped my panties free from my body.