The orgasm about broke him. “I love you so fucking much,” he confessed when he could catch his breath.
She remained quiet as she crawled back up his body and lay on top of him.
Like the missing piece of the puzzle, she fit. And he held onto her, knowing it unlikely he’d get to keep her with him overnight. If at all…
******
Becca left Mitch hours later, after napping with him before making love one final time. Nothing wild and crazy, but soft, sweet, and so mind-blowing she’d done nothing but pray his name as she lost herself in an orgasm that turned her world upside-down.
I love you so fucking much,he’d said. And he’d meant it. Endorphins or not, the man had twice admitted to loving her. All that talk about feelings and a future.
She shivered in her bed, staring at the ceiling, her heart racing as if she’d run a marathon. And lost. Tears filled her eyes, her emotions all over the place.
Elated that Mitch loved her. Worried it had all happened too soon. Glad it wasn’t just her feeling so much for him.
Terrified at the thought of losing someone else she loved…
Becca raced to the bathroom and paused over the sink, not sure if she’d throw up or just needed to splash her face with water. She looked pale. Haunted, she thought, as she stared at herself in the mirror.
Mitch had said helovedher.
Could she trust him? Did she know him as well as she thought she did? Was she crazy not to at least give him a chance?
Becca gripped the sink and swore silently, half wishing Mitch had never come to Hope’s Turn and interrupted her happy yet empty little world. Half hoping he meant what he’d said about loving her.
After years without Neal, she hadn’t thought she’d ever feel giddy in love again. But fear tainted her joy, and the addition of the holidays confused her even more.
Her Christmas revolved around family. Her, Simon, Nora, her aunt and uncle. Her father and stepmother were an afterthought, and they felt the same way about her. Neal had lost both of his folks to cancer at a young age, and they’d never been close with his extended family.
But now she couldn’t imagine Christmas without Mitch somewhere nearby.
A good thing? A bad thing? How would Simon feel, no longer being the only man in her life?
She couldn’t afford to make a mistake, rush into things, and perhaps damage her son.
Simon was too important to her. She knew Mitch would agree.
But how did she know that?
She tore herself away from her reflection, tired of looking at a crazy woman, and tried to get to sleep. But a buzz from her cell phone distracted her. She read an incoming text from Mitch.
Stop thinking so hard and go to sleep. Everything will work itself out. neal.
She froze, in shock.
Fuck. I meant Nervous Nellie. Damn autocorrect. I’m sorry, Becca. Seriously. Ignore me and go to sleep. Love you. M.
Another declaration of love. Once her heart stopped racing, she stared at the message, some fanciful part of herself imagining Neal reaching out to her, telling her it was okay to love again.
Tears filled her eyes, because he seemed a distant memory now, no longer such a part of her life. Which was crazy, because she’d livedyearswithout him. But somehow, when she’d been single, she’d been married too.
But with Mitch by her side, she didn’t feel single at all. She had a boyfriend. One who loved her.
The butterflies in her stomach fluttered, and she stared at her text message until the words blurred. Then she dropped off to sleep, dreaming about Neal and Mitch playing football while Simon looked on, smiling.
