I knew I needed to talk to Andrew, to understand him, to understand us and this feeling I couldn't push past.
I felt confident in my decision.
I would go up to my apartment, eat, shower, change and...
All my thoughts evaporated when I came to my door and saw Andrew standing there with flowers in his hand.
I pulled my earbuds out and stared at the man for a moment.
He was so beautiful.Warm difused light lit his dark brown hair and made his eyes look like a warm honey amber colour instead of his usual golden brown.
My heart fluttered, and it was like he could feel it, because he looked up from his phone and gifted me one of his smiles that could light up an entire room.
"Andrew, what are you..."
He stepped away from my door, and his smile vanished, replaced with a look I couldn't place or understand."You weren't answering."
It hadn't been that long since he started texting me this morning...was he really that concerned?"I...I went for a run..."
He moved to pull me closer, his eyes tracing my form.
"I am sweaty, Andrew..."
He grabbed hold of me and pulled me into him, "God, Cassidy, I don't care, let me hold you...Tell me you aren't upset.I need to know that my leaving last night didn't change things for you."
He smelled so good.He pulled me in tight to his broad chest, and I rested my head for a moment...because it felt so good to be in his arms.I had the whole conversation mapped out in my head...I could do this.Talk to him."I..."
"Fuck I missed you," He murmured into my hair, "I know that sounds crazy because I just saw you...But I have never felt like this about anyone but you, Cassidy and it feels big...and I don't want to screw this up.I love you and I need you and that...fuck I'm forty and you are making me so unsure of myself."
I pulled back a bit so I could see his eyes.I was having a hard time centring my thoughts."Andrew, I..."
He silenced me with the softest of kisses."I cleared my schedule for the rest of the day.Can we spend it together?Just me and you?"
I blinked, my heart beat jumped up, his scent wrapped around me, his brown eyes so sincere and full of love.
"Andrew..."What had I wanted to say before?
He nuzzled into my sweat-soaked hairline and whispered, "Please, Cassidy, let me stay...let me love you."
And just like that, I forgot it all.The worry.The feeling...The clarity my run had given me.
And without realizing it, without having the talk I planned, fall bled into winter, and winter started to melt into spring.
He showered me with gifts and words of love.
He stayed when he could.
He always made it up to me when he couldn't.
I fell madly, deeply in love with him.Like he was the very air I needed to breathe, like my existence revolved around him.
Every time I felt that gut feeling, he seemed to sense it and know exactly how to pull me back to him.
I let myself be rooted in his words, in the dream he was weaving for me.
In our love story that he promised would end with a happily ever after.
Chapter 7
