She shook her head.“Not really.I can’t see anything changing between us.You’re not going to trust that it’s you I want to be with, and I won’t be able to trust you won’t run scared again.”
He sat next to her hip and laid a hand over her purse so she’d stop looking.“I screwed up.I know that, and I have a lot to make up for.”
“Tell me this.If I hadn’t been...”She paused and swallowed.“Going through this, would you have come back?”
She nodded sadly when he stayed quiet.That was her answer.“I’ve got enough to deal with at the moment.I don’t want to have to worry about you, too.I just can’t.”
He grasped her hand.“You didn’t let me answer.”
“You were quiet so long I thought that was your answer.”
“No, I’m just trying to find the words I need.I was dying inside just thinking about you leaving, and then when I broke it off to protect myself, it felt like my heart was ripped in two.You are the little I’ve been looking for my whole life.I was going to come to you and ask for forgiveness, but this happened.”
She studied his expression and saw hope and remorse, but mainly she saw he was telling the truth.She still didn’t know if she had it in her.The pain, when she lost him, was so overwhelming it had taken over her life.“I just don’t know.”
He gently set his hand on her arm.“Give me another chance.Please, Baby.I know I was a dumbass, but I learned my lesson.”
Myla studied his expression.She sighed.If they planned to have a relationship, they both had to learn forgiveness for better or worse.
She nodded.“I’ll let you back in my life, but if you ever leave again, that’s it.I can’t do this again.It felt like my heart was torn out of my chest.”
He slowly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.He set his chin gently on the top of her head and closed his eyes.
“I won’t let you down again.”He leaned back and tipped her face up with a finger under her chin.He bent and pressed his lips against hers tenderly.He didn’t want to overwhelm her, scare her, or hurt her lip.He relaxed when he felt her hand grasp his shirt to hold him to her.
She leaned back when he lifted his head.“Take me home,” she said, and let her fingers caress his scarred cheek.
“You got it.But I’m taking you to my home, and I’m hoping you stay.”
“What do you mean, stay?”
“I mean, live.I want to be able to hold you every night and keep you safe.I can’t do that if you’re across town.”
She drew in a shaky breath.She went from losing him to moving in with him within a few days.She needed to take some time to make a decision, but she had to deal with the trauma of the attack first.She didn’t want to make the wrong decision.
“I’ll stay with you for now, but I don’t know if I’ll keep living with you.I want to take this slow, so we don’t mess it up again.”
He nodded and pushed her hair away from her face.
“I understand.Let’s worry about it later.I just want to get you home and into bed where you can rest.”
The nurse came in and dropped off the scrubs and discharge papers.
Within thirty minutes, they were walking out to Kaleb’s car with his arm around her waist.He got her settled in the passenger seat and then started for his house.At a stoplight, he looked at her and reached for her hand.“Please tell me if there is anything I do that scares you.”
She nodded.
“Promise me, Baby.”
She turned her head as it rested against the headrest to look at him.“I promise.”
He nodded, turned his attention back to the road.
His thoughts skittered around his head as he concentrated on driving.He knew they had a long way to go, but he’d do whatever it took to get them back on track.He’d heard that littles were more sensitive than normal women, so it might take more to get her to trust him again.
Kaleb planned on getting in touch with a few of his friends who have littles and get advice on how to proceed so he didn’t mess up again.
He’d found his little, now he was determined to keep her.There was no other option.
