it.” He paced the clearing. “How far along were you?”
“About four months.”
“Four months? Four fucking months, and you didn’t say a word to me in all that time?”
“I’d only known for a few weeks.”
A painful sense of loss ruptured his soul. Not for a baby he’d known nothing about, but for not having the opportunity to share her grief, to comfort his girlfriend when she needed him most. Parenthood came with obligations. Losing the chance to become a parent also came with responsibilities. She’d taken away his responsibility.
“We’d been living together for over three years. Didn’t I mean anything to you? Didn’t you love me at all?” He paused, his body shuddering on his next exhale. “It was my baby too.” Spinning on his heel, he walked over to one of the boulders that ringed the area and, with his back to it, slid down to the ground.
* * *
Molly rested against a tree, staying while Tanner wrested with his emotions, struggling to absorb her confession. Maybe he didn’t want her here, but she couldn’t leave him just yet. She remained quiet but watchful as tears slipped from the corners of his eyes to run unchecked down his cheeks. He’d sit for a bit, jump up and pace the small clearing, and then return to perch on one of the boulders. He repeated the routine, oblivious to or most likely ignoring her presence.
When at last he stood and simply stared at her, she jumped up, brushing pine needles and grass from her backside and legs. For long moments, he continued to observe her, no expression on his face, but his suffering was palpable. She waited.
He strode toward her, his gait stiff. He stopped an inch away from her toes and regarded her in silence, his eyes dark, shuttered. He hesitated before reaching out to pull her into his arms. This time, she stepped into his embrace willingly.
He didn’t utter a word. His gentleness unraveled her. Every ounce of pain, the guilt, the heartbreak, but most of all the relief of finally sharing it with somebody, with the one somebody she should have, exploded out of her in deep, gut-wrenching sobs. The suddenness and extent of her grief surprised her, embarrassed her, but she couldn’t stop.
She cried for a lost baby, for a friend who lost ten years with his family, and she cried for losing out on the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to spend the rest of her life with the only man she ever loved.
Chapter Seven
Her sobs switched to soft hiccups. He cupped her face in his hands and tipped her head back. He wiped away the remaining tears and then lowered his head and joined his lips to hers. He licked along the fold and into the corners of her mouth, sipping at the salty moisture captured there. If only he could absorb her pain.
A shudder racked her body as a sigh escaped. He dipped his tongue inside her mouth, stroking the tip of her tongue. Passion for this beautiful woman surged through him, leaving him shaken with the depth of his emotions for her. Deepening the kiss, heated desire swelled his cock to uncomfortable proportions.
Draping her arms around his neck, Molly pushed her fingers through his hair, made fists, and pulled his head down to hold him in place. He explored her warmth as though they had all day. His mind raced with a variety of things he wanted to do, but he put the mental brakes on, not wanting to risk her running again.
She pressed her body close. Her nipples beaded into hard little points, drilling his chest. She began to pant, stuttering every so often, the aftereffect of crying for such a long time. Her tongue tangled with his. His memories guided him as he withdrew from her lips to plant kisses from behind her ear, down to her collarbone. He licked his way back to a particularly sensitive spot below her ear. Her head fell back, exposing her throat. She twisted her head to the other side. He’d happily kiss her wherever she wanted him to.
Starting at the hollow of her throat, he swept his
“About four months.”
“Four months? Four fucking months, and you didn’t say a word to me in all that time?”
“I’d only known for a few weeks.”
A painful sense of loss ruptured his soul. Not for a baby he’d known nothing about, but for not having the opportunity to share her grief, to comfort his girlfriend when she needed him most. Parenthood came with obligations. Losing the chance to become a parent also came with responsibilities. She’d taken away his responsibility.
“We’d been living together for over three years. Didn’t I mean anything to you? Didn’t you love me at all?” He paused, his body shuddering on his next exhale. “It was my baby too.” Spinning on his heel, he walked over to one of the boulders that ringed the area and, with his back to it, slid down to the ground.
* * *
Molly rested against a tree, staying while Tanner wrested with his emotions, struggling to absorb her confession. Maybe he didn’t want her here, but she couldn’t leave him just yet. She remained quiet but watchful as tears slipped from the corners of his eyes to run unchecked down his cheeks. He’d sit for a bit, jump up and pace the small clearing, and then return to perch on one of the boulders. He repeated the routine, oblivious to or most likely ignoring her presence.
When at last he stood and simply stared at her, she jumped up, brushing pine needles and grass from her backside and legs. For long moments, he continued to observe her, no expression on his face, but his suffering was palpable. She waited.
He strode toward her, his gait stiff. He stopped an inch away from her toes and regarded her in silence, his eyes dark, shuttered. He hesitated before reaching out to pull her into his arms. This time, she stepped into his embrace willingly.
He didn’t utter a word. His gentleness unraveled her. Every ounce of pain, the guilt, the heartbreak, but most of all the relief of finally sharing it with somebody, with the one somebody she should have, exploded out of her in deep, gut-wrenching sobs. The suddenness and extent of her grief surprised her, embarrassed her, but she couldn’t stop.
She cried for a lost baby, for a friend who lost ten years with his family, and she cried for losing out on the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to spend the rest of her life with the only man she ever loved.
Chapter Seven
Her sobs switched to soft hiccups. He cupped her face in his hands and tipped her head back. He wiped away the remaining tears and then lowered his head and joined his lips to hers. He licked along the fold and into the corners of her mouth, sipping at the salty moisture captured there. If only he could absorb her pain.
A shudder racked her body as a sigh escaped. He dipped his tongue inside her mouth, stroking the tip of her tongue. Passion for this beautiful woman surged through him, leaving him shaken with the depth of his emotions for her. Deepening the kiss, heated desire swelled his cock to uncomfortable proportions.
Draping her arms around his neck, Molly pushed her fingers through his hair, made fists, and pulled his head down to hold him in place. He explored her warmth as though they had all day. His mind raced with a variety of things he wanted to do, but he put the mental brakes on, not wanting to risk her running again.
She pressed her body close. Her nipples beaded into hard little points, drilling his chest. She began to pant, stuttering every so often, the aftereffect of crying for such a long time. Her tongue tangled with his. His memories guided him as he withdrew from her lips to plant kisses from behind her ear, down to her collarbone. He licked his way back to a particularly sensitive spot below her ear. Her head fell back, exposing her throat. She twisted her head to the other side. He’d happily kiss her wherever she wanted him to.
Starting at the hollow of her throat, he swept his
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