Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 88456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Bryson pushed his hands through his hair and let out a frustrated groan. He turned to me, and I could see it in his eyes. The beautiful bright light I loved about those green eyes was slowly fading, and I was the cause.
He shook his head and raised his hand, then dropped it to his side. “You found your way up to me, and I had the best night of my life with you. Yes, I’m impulsive when it comes to you, but I know in the very depth of my soul that I want to be with you, Rose. I’d fall on my knees and beg you if I thought it would make a difference. I can’t make you want this, but I can fight until I know for a fact that you don’t want this.”
I felt a single tear roll down my cheek as Bryson took a few steps toward me. When he stopped right in front of me, I looked up into his hauntingly beautiful green eyes.
“I’m scared,” I whispered as I closed my eyes.
The feel of his hands on my face caused me to look at him once again. “Baby, tell me what you’re scared of because I would never hurt you.”
“I don’t honestly know. Of falling in love with you?”
Bryson bent down to look into my eyes, a confused look on his face. “And that’s a bad thing because?”
I let out a soft laugh. “It’s not a bad thing. I just feel so lost that I guess I’m afraid to lose myself even more. I’ve always had this wall up around myself, and I know it’s stupid. I’m stronger than the things that have happened to me in the past, but I’m terrified I’ll mess this up between us because I do want you so much. And the fear of failing is there, and I can’t get rid of it.”
He smiled. “So far, I seem to be the one messing up.”
I shook my head. “No, you haven’t.”
“Tell me what you’re afraid of failing at.”
“Everything. I told everyone I was interested in architecture when really all I’ve ever wanted to do was paint. I didn’t get a degree in architecture because I was worried I wouldn’t be good enough even though I know I am. How messed up is that? I haven’t finished a painting since high school when I overheard a few different people say the painting was bad. I know not everyone will like my art, so that just pisses me off even more, so much so that I’m afraid to take a leap. The first guy I gave my heart to broke it. I’m terrified to give you my heart because from the moment you first smiled at me, you made me feel something I’ve never felt before, and if you broke my heart, I’m not sure I would ever recover.”
“Rose,” Bryson softly whispered as he placed his finger on my chin and lifted my gaze to him. “No one is perfect. Not me, not you, no one. I completely understand your fear with your paintings, but if you don’t even try, you’ll always second-guess yourself. And if we don’t try to see where this goes…”
His voice trailed off. “I want to see where this goes between us.”
Bryson smiled. “Good, because you already know I do.”
I chuckled, then looked up at him with a serious expression. “Have you never worried about failing?”
“I still do.”
“But you’re the best pitcher in the league,” I pointed out.
“I worked my ass off to get to where I am, Rose. Do you know my first high school baseball coach told me I would never make it to the major leagues? He said I didn’t have what it took. I could have listened to him and stopped playing. Instead, I listened to my heart and gut. They both told me that I was good. Damn good. My dream was to be a major league pitcher, and I would do whatever it took to be one. My mother and father played a huge role in my success. I’m positive if your mom and dad knew your true desire, they would support you one hundred percent.”
“I know they would, but I don’t want to disappoint them after I went to school for something other than art.”
“Who cares what your degree is in. All that matters is you do something that makes you happy, Rose.”
Chewing on my lower lip, I exhaled. “I know I can design you a beautiful home.”
Smiling, Bryson tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, leaned down, and brought his lips just short of mine. “I never doubted your ability, Rose. And I know what I feel here.” He took my hand in his and placed it over his heart. “Is real. It’s worth fighting for.”
A sob slipped free, and I felt the last bit of wall around my heart break and collapse. I was finally ready to admit what I knew the moment I saw Bryson Robinson step out of the shadows. “I feel it too. I’ve felt it from the first moment I saw you.”