Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 25
ABBY
It’s been four weeks since the whole tree incident. Davis asked Alexis to promise not to climb any more trees unless he was watching, and she agreed. In exchange, Davis promised to work on the treehouse.
My brother left on an emergency mission, and even though I’ve talked to him a few times since he’s left, I still miss him.
I’ve been cautious these last few weeks, and I hate the feeling. I want to be happy, I want to feel free, but there’s a part of me that’s worried Davis is going to freak out again and walk out on me.
“What are you thinking about?”
Davis’ voice is gruff in my ear. It’s Saturday and early in the morning. It’s about this time that Davis sneaks out of the bed, goes into town, and gets our favorite donuts from Sugar Glaze and then comes back to “surprise” Alexis and me with breakfast.
“Nothing,” I answer him, hating the lie as soon as it leaves my mouth.
He kisses my cheek and rests his chin on the top of my head. “You’re lying to me, baby.”
I trail my hand up his chest and circle my finger around his nipple, determined to get his mind somewhere else.
But he’s not having it. He puts his hand over mine to stop me. “Talk to me. What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
I rest my head against his bare chest and let it out. All the thoughts and feelings I’ve had that I thought I could ignore. “Every day, I worry that you’re going to decide this is it. I’m afraid I’m going to wake up, and you’re going to be gone. I love you, Davis. God, I love you so much, but I’m scared. If you left now, you would destroy Alexis and me.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” he says, lifting my chin up so I have to look at him. “I’m not going anywhere. If it was up to me, I’d go to bed with you in my arms and wake up the same way. I think about you all the time. I hate being away from you. I want…”
When his voice trails off, I sit up a little and look at him. “You want what?”
“I want us to be together.”
I tilt my head to the side. I can barely make out his face in the darkness. “I thought we were together.”
He pushes me to my back and leans over me. “I want to be together, together.”
I smile and let my hand trail down his body. “I’m sure we can take care of that right now.”
He chuckles in the darkness. “My girl has a one-track mind.”
I slap his chest. “And you don’t?”
He nuzzles his nose into my neck. “Oh, I do, but that’s not what I meant. I want us to be together, together. I don’t want you worrying about what I’m doing or…”
I stop him. “It’s not like that. I’m being ridiculous. We’ve been together a little over a month. Our relationship is so new… I just don’t want you to walk away. This is a me problem, Davis. It’s not anything you can fix.”
His voice is thick. “What if we got married?”
I suck in a breath. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it, but that’s not what I tell him. “Davis, I wasn’t hinting at…”
I let my voice trail off when he leans across me, grabbing something off the floor. When he rises back up, he has his jeans in his hands, and he’s digging in the pocket. Once he finds what he’s looking for, he drops the pants, sits up, and brings me up with him. “Abby.”
“What is it?”
He puts a hand at my neck. “Baby, I still struggle every day. I know I’m still not the man you deserve, but I’m working on it. I bought this ring two weeks ago because I know that no matter what our future holds, I want you to be my wife.”
The tears come before I can stop them. “Wife?”
He chuckles. “Yeah. Will you marry me, Abby Campbell? I promise to love you and your daughter for the rest of my life. I’ll never leave you, and you will never doubt the love I have for you.”
I struggle to get the words out. “You want to marry me?”
He shakes his head and leans his forehead against mine. “How could you not know that? I want forever with you, Abby. I’ve already talked to your dad and your brother about it. They gave us their blessing… as long as I’m what you want.”
“Yes, yes, you are the man I want, Davis. The only man I want.”
He slides the ring on my finger, and then his lips cover mine, and he kisses me until we’re lying down, and he’s pulled me atop him. When he pulls away, he whispers, “I’ll have to tell Lex I came up with another nickname for you.”