Share
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Related chapters
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As I slip my ballet flats on and fasten the ribbons of my leotard, my cell rings. I skip over, almos falling as I’m reaching for it. I see Gavin’s name on the screen and smile. It’s been about a week since the night he held me, comforted me after that horrible dream. We’ve gone out to lunch almost every day, growing closer and I’ve found so many things I like about him. His laugh when I try to impersonate my family members or friends as I’m telling a story. His passion for the work his father has done in the technology world, the fierceness in which he speaks when we talk about his sister, Callie. I’ve learned he’s very protective of the only daughter of James A. Thomas. I’ve learned he will only drink when in the company of people he trusts, for some people will stop at nothing to get close to him and his family. When he told me that, I was intimidated. The lavish life style he has is something that is not new to me and though it is a lot to take in, Gavin is much more than a bil
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Even after the movie ends, we sit and cuddle and stare at each other, not saying anything. A hand rests at the small of my back when he takes a big breath and I feel him stiffen a little as he holds me. "What happened earlier?" I murmur, trying to read his expression. "I don’t want to scare you off with what I’m about to say." I gaze up at him, a little uneasy about what he could possibly say to scare me away. "Look, if you’re changing your mind after last night, Gavin, I’d completely…" He interrupts with an index finger to my parted lips. His eyes blaze and I can’t take mine away from his. "I want us to be exclusive, baby." My heart stops and then immediately speeds back to a rapid beat, soaring at the sound of those words. He hasn’t changed his mind. He really wants to be with me, and I can see it in his eyes. I gasp, rendered speechless, and his hand comes up to my cheek, his eyes clear of the darkness I saw before. "Are you sure?" I whisper, my palm resting over his heart
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER SIXTEEN
He kisses me back, his hand anchoring my head to his mouth, gripping my hip with the other. I feel the tightening in my core, wanting to kiss every possible surface of his skin, but knowing I can’t yet.I’m breathless, forcing myself to pull away, my mouth tingling in aftershock from the kiss. "How did you know?" I ask as he leads me up the walkway, his hand in mine. "What?" I lean down and pick up a lilac, cradling it in my palm. "That this is my favorite flower. Did Kel tell you?" He takes a step back, his eyes first filling with confusion and then with sheer excitement. "Really, beautiful?" I nod, my face stretching in happiness. His eyes lock on to mine and he pulls me into him, wrapping an arm around my waist. The sweetest of kisses is pressed to my temple. "Ever since yesterday, I’ve noticed you always smell like lilacs, Sophia. It’s intoxicating and sweet, making it impossible for me to stay away from you." Oh, my. How can a guy like this exist and actually like me? My
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I know you say that good things don’t last for you and I can’t promise you that this will. But I want to be with you, baby. I want to kiss you and touch you and cherish you. If this is moving too fast, just tell me and we can slow down. I'll never push you, but I need you to be honest with me." His voice is deep with emotion. I suck in a breath, not wanting to slow this down but needing to be completely honest now. "I’m sorry, Gavin. I do want to be with you and yes, this is fast but...it’s what I want, more than anything. I don’t want to slow this down." I’m opening my heart to him, for better or for worse. I trust him. I see his exhalation of breath before he lifts his hands to my cheeks, holding my gaze to his. He searches my eyes, sees right through every defense I have around myself, and cuts through them to the very heart of me. This is the moment that I give myself to him. I lose the words I’m about to say when he pulls my face to his and lays those lips on mine. I breathe
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"Can we watch a movie?" I ask, hoping he doesn’t notice my uneasiness. He nods and brings me over to the couch. He sits behind me, so his arms wrap around my stomach and I can feel his warmth. Without a word, the remote is placed in my hands. "You don’t want to pick?" My eyes go to his, narrowing in suspicion. "All yours, beautiful." His warm voice encourages me. As I flick through the movie listings On Demand, I see Marley and Me and click on it. "Will you hate me if we watch a chick flick?" I tease, enjoying the feel of his arms. Gavin chuckles softly. "Not at all." I start the movie and rest my chin against his chest, curling into his side. “Hmm, I like this,” I whisper, looking up at Gavin through my eyelashes. A slow, sexy smile spreads across his handsome face and he wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles his nose against my neck. Soon the movie begins and we both turn, watching the screen. By the middle of the movie, my eyes start to get heavy so I rest my head on
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER NINETEEN
Gavin’s eyes blaze with concern as a tear falls from my eye. I don’t want his pity. I don’t want him to look at me and see how truly broken I am. "It’s okay. You can tell me." His hands wrap around my shoulders, rubbing circles with his thumbs. His touch is like a balm and I don’t hesitate to lean against the press of his hands. "He came raging into the bedroom. I knew what was coming. I tried, I promise, God, I tried to get away. I tried to calm him down, but he punched me and I fell backward. B-Bryce…he…” I have to stop. The emotion is drowning me as I fall into Gavin’s warm chest. I’m a mess. Tears gather in my eyes and fall down my face. I can’t do this, I can’t… I’m not strong enough for this. “My beautiful, strong girl. I’ve got you. I have you.” Gavin wraps me up into his arms, tightly holding me to his chest as he presses his mouth to my forehead. He waits for me to calm myself, and then I raise my face to his. His blue and gray eyes are all I see, all I need to. I bite m
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER TWENTY
“What happened?” I hear Gavin’s voice brush against the shell of my ear, soft like velvet but traced with concern as he speaks.I turn to face him and his eyes, darkened with worry but still a brilliant blue gray, lock onto mine. “I woke up in the hospital. The night they found me, I was in bad shape. My dad found me thatway. He attacked Bryce, but he never got in trouble for that, thank God." Gavin nods, his face calmer now, though I see the simmering anger in his eyes. He wants to protect me and it makes me feel safe knowing he feels that way."Is he...""Bryce- he’s out of jail now, but I have a restraining order against him. If he steps within five hundred feet of me, he’ll go back to prison." I look up to see a stark, determined look in those eyes I’ve come to so well. I can see what he is thinking and I hastily shake my head."I need a last name, Sophia." So he can track down the bastard that hurt me and do what?"No." I will not let him do that. It won’t change anything.I
Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
He exhales and slowly an enigmatic beautiful smile spreads over his face. He grabs my hand and I follow him to my dimly lit bedroom. The heavenly smells make me pause on the threshold of my bedroom. My breath catches when I see the bouquet of flowers on my dresser, filled with lilacs and daisies. My eyes flicker over to my queen-size bed, covered in red rose petals. There are lit candles on every possible surface and it takes my breath away. "Gavin?" He wraps his arms around me and sweeps my hair away from the back of my neck. He begins tantalizingly kissing and sucking on my skin. I moan, my skin breaking out in delicious goose bumps. "How did you..." He chuckles and begins massaging my shoulders, making me moan again from the feel of his hands on me. "I wanted tonight to be special for us, beautiful. And I had some help." I giggle, now knowing why Kel mysteriously disappeared to Dad’s place tonight. "Kel?" I murmur as he nestles his face into the back of my neck. "Mm hm." I
Latest chapter
- Afraid to Love Again EPILOGUE - FINAL
- Afraid to Love Again EPILOGUE- 3
- Afraid to Love Again EPILOGUE- 2
- Afraid to Love Again EPILOGUE- 1
- Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
- Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
- Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
- Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
- Afraid to Love Again CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO
