Out in the Country: (A Clementine Creek Standalone Novella) by Alexandra Hale

Author:Alexandra Hale [Hale, Alexandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-24T16:00:00+00:00

10

EVERETT

The water is almost hotter than I can bear as I stand with my hands braced on the wall under the shower head. I need the water to drown out the voice in my head that was telling me I’m not good enough—that I made the wrong choice.

The one that says I should have listened.

The excitement I’d felt had overrun the voice that told me to take this slow and to ease myself into things with Hayden.

Spoiler alert—I hadn’t.

Tonight had been the best night of my life—until it wasn’t—and I had no idea how I was going to fix it. I didn’t want to go back now that I’d had my lips against his and held him in my arms.

I don’t move when I hear the bathroom door open and then close, and I don’t move when the breeze from the curtain rushes against my body.

My body both craves and dreads his inevitable touch.

Warm arms wrap around my waist, and a soft kiss presses to my shoulder before Hayden’s head rests against my back. I exhale a weary sigh because I don’t know what this is.

Is he trying to let me down easy?

Did he wish tonight never happened? Please, God, anything but that.

I blink back the tears that threaten because I’m not sure I can stop them once they start.

“I handled that wrong, and I’m so sorry. I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Ev.”

Are we doing this? Because I have zero desire to do this right now.

“Ev, I never allowed myself to consider this as a possibility. I never dreamed to hope this could be real.” A shaky breath grazes my skin, and my eyes snap shut. “You are the dream, Everett. My dream.”

I don’t respond.

I can’t.

Instead I let him turn me until we’re face-to-face, water dripping down into my eyes.

“Ev, look at me.” I don’t want to, but there’s nothing on God’s green earth that could make me deny him. His eyes hold so much emotion and love I can hardly breathe. Swiping my hair off my forehead, Hayden cradles my face in his hands. Soft lips meet mine in the sweetest kiss.

It’s the type of kiss that says he’s sorry and that I’m loved.

Cherished.

He holds me there for a long moment and then tilts my face so he can slant his mouth over mine. He tastes like heaven, and my hands move to the small of his back. I don’t try to pull him into me or command him in any way—that’s what got me into this mess in the first place.

“You are everything to me.”

The words should be everything I need, but I feel too raw. Too exposed. I blindsided him, and his initial rejection and uncertainty coupled with his recent disregard of my intentions devastate me in a way I never imagined.

“You don’t have to—” I force the words out. “You don’t have to do this. I’m sorry.”

This time when I blink, tears mix with the spray of the shower.

“Everett, look at me.”

I don’t want to but I’d do anything for him, regardless of what it means for me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.