Page 130 of The Virgin Romance Novelist Chronicles
I was weak, I was pathetic, I would do anything to spend a few more minutes with him, so I nodded and allowed him to guide me to his red couch, which felt like heaven under my bum. I was right. It was supremely comfortable.
“Nice couch.”
“Thanks, got it on sale. Loved the color, it reminded me of you.”
Yup, I didn’t want him to say things like that, because it only gutted me more.
“Okay,” I said lamely.
At times, I really did wish I was more profound, more prolific, but when my heart was hanging on by a thread and my brain was mush from the man sitting next to me, I had no ability to form a coherent sentence.
Running his hand through his hair, I watched as his muscles flexed under his shirt, the same muscles I’d had my hands on.Once.
Then it hit me. Oh my God, I was a virgin clinger.
No!
No, I was not a clinger. I was a girl who fell in love with a boy way before she got intimate with him, and denied my feelings to save my heart. Much help that was, I thought as I sat on Henry’s new couch, contemplating whether or not I was going to have a heart attack from his proximity.
Softly, his hand grabbed mine, and he forced me to look him in the eyes. My heart pounded against my chest, making me very aware that he was holding me.
“Rosie, I need to tell you something.”
“Are you dying?” I asked, letting my mind wander to the worst thing possible.
“What? No,” he said confused but then chuckled softly. “I’m not dying. I just . . . damn, I thought this would be easier.”
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” I teased, trying to ease the pressure in my chest.
“No.” He laughed. “But I did have a scare for a second on Monday.”
“Sounds frightening. Never been happier to see Aunt Flo, have you?”
“This is so wrong.” He laughed some more and then took a deep breath. His hand reached up and cupped my cheek, making me sweat even more. I was a hot mess. “God, Rosie, I’m so far in love with you, it’s ridiculous. I don’t just love you, I’m in love with you, like desperately, hopelessly, can’t be without you in love with you.”
What?
Chills flew over my body as my stomach flipped upside down, somersaulting and twisting. He wasin lovewith me? Did he actually say that or did I make that up in my head?
“I know I was an ass, and I know I haven’t been the easiest person to be around lately, but I blame you.” He smiled. “You turned my life upside down the minute you decided you wanted to date. I couldn’t take the thought of you with anyone else, because I knew deep down in my soul you belonged with me. Rosie, I’m sorry for everything, the way I treated you, for . . . Tasha and letting you believe something happened with her when nothing did. I was just . . . lost. When you listened to that voicemail and mentioned that he’d called you, I thought you wanted to go out with that Atticus guy. And the timing . . . right after we’d shared one of the most amazing moments of my life, it just made something inside me flip.”
“One of the most amazing?” I asked while tears streamed down my face.
“Yes, the most amazing moments of my life was when I met you.”
I chuckled and wiped a tear away from face. “That was so corny.”
“Maybe, but it was all true.” Looking me in the eyes, he asked, “Do you feel the same, Rosie?”
His eyes pleaded with me, begged me to say yes, and that’s when I realized, the man truly adored me. He wasn’t playing with me, and he wasn’t trying to just be kind. And sweet Jesus he didn’t have sex with Tasha. No, this man sitting next to me, searching my eyes for an answer, loved me with every inch of his being. The revelation was intense, heartwarming, and so damn overwhelming that I could only think of one thing. I needed to kiss those lips that I’d been dreaming about for the past week.
Without warning, I launched myself on his lap and grabbed his face with my hands.
“Henry, you have no idea how far in love I am with you.”
I giant grin spread across his face as my lips found his. His hands went straight to my waist where he gripped me hard, as if I was going to float away. Slowly, he worked his way under my shirt but not in a sexual way, just in a way that communicated that by touching my skin, he was getting as close to me as possible.
My lips danced with his as we both reveled in being with each other, giving in to the anxiety, the roadblocks and misgivings our relationship brought forward. Instead, we pushed past it all, put our hearts out on the line, and took the leap.
