“What?”
He straightened and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. “Feels like that party when I walked into that room and told you to get dressed. I was so freaked out that I even did that. I was sure you’d tell me to fuck off. I mean, you were in the middle of it.”
“But you took your shot.”
“I did. No regrets.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why me? We barely knew each other. Why’d you do that?”
“I wanted you.”
“Yeah, but?—”
He put a finger over my lips. “I just wanted you. Because you’re beautiful. Funny. Confident. Smart. Kind. I knew all that about you.”
“You knew I was the barista at your favourite coffee joint.”
“I spent a lot of time in that coffee joint.”
“Stalking?”
“Watching. Mostly working, but also watching. So when I saw you at the party and I knew those frat guys, and what they were like, I decided you deserved better.”
“I wasn’t being coerced or anything. You know that, right?”
“Well, you were drunk, but no, I know. You were into it. And I know you wouldn’t have expected more than a good fuck out of them but…” He shrugged.
“You wanted to be the one doing the fucking.”
“I did. And I decided if I went up there and told you to leave the party with me, and if you did, then maybe I could have that. And here we are.”
“So you know that I got up and left them there and followed you because that’s what I wanted too, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you know that when I say I want this curling chance, it’s because I want the chance. And I want it with you. And Robbie, I guess. He can come too.” I grinned. “It’s going to be amazing.”
“It’s going to be a lot.”
“It will. And that’s okay because we’ll be doing it together, and that makes anything and everything doable.”
PART TWO
CHAPTER 16
ALAN
I only drovearound the corner before I had to stop the truck and breathe.
“You okay?” Michael asked.
“Not sure.” I fixed him with a serious gaze. “I know we briefly talked about this, but you’re sure?”
“Positive. I do not want to wreck my back again. I want to be able to ride horses and not need a walking device. Things will get bad enough when I’m old. I don’t want to make it worse earlier. This is the right choice for me.”
