“Fable.”
I lift up, pressing my hands against his rock hard chest, and begin to ride him in earnest. “Say it again,” I murmur, closing my eyes for a brief moment, overcome with pleasure.
“Fable. God, I’m going to—” He arches into me as he completely loses control and I open my eyes, watch him as he shudders and shakes beneath me. All the while, his eyes are still locked with mine, never breaking the connection and it’s by far the most intimate encounter I’ve ever experienced with another person.
Collapsing on top of him, I drape my body across his, savoring how our heated skin feels so right pressed together. My head is on his chest, I can hear his heart beat rapidly against my ear. My eyes close of their own volition when he slides his big hands up and down my back, lulling me, comforting me.
“Thank you,” I hear him whisper and I snuggle in close, desperate not to break away from him yet.
“For what?” I need to hear him say it.
“For helping me push her out of my memories.” He tugs on my hair and I lift my head, meeting his gaze. “It worked.”
I smile lazily, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He squeezes my butt with his other hand. “I need to get up for a minute. Where’s your bathroom?”
I tell him and watch as he climbs off the bed, his naked body so beautiful, my chest aches. He goes to the bathroom, disposes the condom and is slipping back into my bed within seconds. I pull the covers over us and rest my head on his shoulder, my arm slung across his stomach. “You’re staying?”
“Yeah.”
He doesn’t say anything else and neither do I. I can’t. I’m so tired, and it feels so good to fall asleep in Drew’s arms. So right. I sleep like the dead, like I did last night when I was also in his arms.
Drew Callahan is as addicting as any sleeping pill.
When I wake up in the morning…
He’s gone.
~* Chapter Fifteen *~
A new week, a new life
Fable
Dear Fable,
My worst enemy is behind me because of you.
And there’s still a lot left for me to explain.
Right now, all I can think about is you.
So many things in my life confuse me and…
Hurt me—except you.
Maybe we can be together again someday.
All I really want is you, but I can’t do this now.
Losing you will be the hardest thing I’ve dealt with yet.
Loving you might be a mistake. Drawing you into my world will
Only hurt you. And I refuse to do that.
Will you ever forgive me?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love you.
Drew
* * * *
My tears fall like raindrops on the letter Drew wrote me, smudging his hastily written words, and I swipe angrily at my cheeks, wiping the tears away. I study the note, trying to make sense of it all. Why would he leave me? Why would he…
And then I slowly read the letter again. My heart’s racing as I skim the slightly jumbled sentences he wrote just for me, the first letter of each one jumping out at me. I trace every first letter with the tip of my index finger, saying them out loud.
“M-A-R-S-H-M-A-L-L-O-W.”
My heart threatens to burst and I clutch the note to my chest. His secret message fills me with so much hope and love, I start to cry all over again. But these tears, they aren’t sad. Drew’s pushing me away, yet he wants me to rescue him. His letter proves that. But how can I if he won’t really let me?
Determination fills me as I carefully fold the piece of paper I found on my bedside table earlier. I open my top dresser drawer, sticking the letter beneath a folded pile of underwear before I slowly hide it away.
Wiping at the corners of my eyes, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look different. Older, more mature. Less defiant, less…unhappy. Despite the fact that the man I’ve fallen desperately in love with has left me with a stupid, beautifully heartbreaking note and I’ve already cried enough tears to fill the kitchen sink, I am happy.
Because I know Andrew D. Callahan loves me.