You Loved Me Once by Corinne Michaels

Author:Corinne Michaels [Michaels, Corinne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781942834656
Google: ows9zgEACAAJ
Amazon: B08YJCW4HS
Goodreads: 57379876
Publisher: BAAE Inc.
Published: 2021-06-28T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

“So we’ll talk every day?” I ask again as I stand in the driver’s side door.

“Every day.”

“And you won’t forget about me?”

Bryce rolls his eyes and then takes my hand. “Do you see this?” He lifts my hand with the diamond sitting there. “This is not something I’d forget. It’s my grandmother’s ring, it’s a family heirloom and only family wear it. You’re mine. You’re my family, Chick.”

I do my best not to swoon right here, but sometimes, the man says just what I need to hear. “You’re mine too, Bryce Peyton.” My hand rests on his chest and I hold back the tears. “Don’t you forget it.”

He smiles at me as though I’m crazy, and maybe I am. I have loved this man for the last two years in a way that has left me stunned. I’m still unsure that I’m making the right choice going to Chicago, but I’m hopeful we’ll stay strong.

“I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

I nod. “And then we’ll see each other a few weeks after that.”

“We have to keep making plans because you and I don’t let the other down.”

“No,” I say with a sigh, “we don’t.”

He leans in, kissing me softly. “I hate that you’re not coming with me, but I understand why you’re not.”

It’s the first time he’s acknowledged that he gets it. My heart is filled with gratitude. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For letting me do what I feel in my heart.”

He moves to the side, taking my hands in his. “I know you love your family and I’d be the worst kind of prick if I told you not to go. I was just scared. Fuck, I’m scared now. I don’t want us to drift apart, so you can’t let that happen.”

“I won’t.”

And I mean that vow. I will not let us falter.

“You better get going, baby. It’s going to be late and you have a long drive.”

I lift my hands to his face, and kiss him hard. The tears I fought to hold back fall without permission. The salty beads touch our lips, mixing in with our goodbye.

“Don’t cry,” he says as his thumb brushes the moisture away.

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I don’t blame you,” he jokes.

My laughter is short and comes out almost like a snort. “You’re stupid.”

“I’ve never claimed to be anything but.”

I just keep trying to drag this out. Not ready to go weeks without seeing him. It’s going to kill me to drive away.

“I should go . . .”

“Yeah, you should.”

I fight the strength to get in the car, feeling like I’m leaving half of my heart behind, and maybe I am, because it will belong to no one else.

“I love you.”

“I love you, Serenity. Until . . .”

“My last breath,” I finish for him.

And then he closes the door to my car, and our hands are on the glass, not able to touch, but needing a connection. I put the car in drive, tears falling freely and then his palm falls and I drive away, leaving the man I love behind.

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.