Never Far Away (The Never #2)(50)

“What do you mean?”

“Will we ever just get to be? Will we ever just have a normal week where no one is shot? Or loses their memory? Or has to call the police to scare away an intruder? All this stuff keeps happening, and only to me, and I don’t know why. I was never this high maintenance before. You should probably just give up on me now; I’m not worth the trouble.”

“You think I’m going to leave you because of all this?”

“No, I don’t think you’re going to leave me, but I think maybe you should.”

“Explain that to me.” She could hear the question in his voice. He was confused and looking for clarification.

“I’ve brought nothing but trouble to you, Porter. You’ve wasted so many weeks with me not even remembering you. Now I’ve brought some lunatic to your house looking for me. Everything was so much simpler for you before I came along. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to go back to the way everything was before we met.”

“I had nothing before you, Ella. Nothing. I was just living, day to day, surviving for nothing. You brought light into my life. Color. Meaning. I’m not living without you. I couldn’t. Are things complicated and crazy right now? Maybe, but you’re crazy if you think I’m going to just walk away from you.” She felt his muscles tensing with his words. She upset him. “If you want out, just say the words, Ella. I’ll let you go if it’s what you really want, but you have to say the words.”

“You know I don’t want that,” she said desperately, not liking the direction the conversation was headed.

“Damnit, Ella, I’m here. I’m right here. Don’t push me away after everything. I can’t get any clearer with you, any more transparent. I’m wide open to you. I want to be with you forever. What kind of man would I be if I promised you everything and then ran at the first problem or sign of trouble? Have a little more faith in me than that, a little more faith in us.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, aiming her face up at his, even though she couldn’t see him. She felt his breath on her face and he was as close to her as one could be without kissing. She ached for his lips to touch hers, for him to show her that even though she had brought turmoil into his life, he still wanted her, still desired her.

He slowly ran his nose along the side of her face and then flipped his nose against the tip of hers. She felt him smile, but he still didn’t kiss her.

“Tell me you won’t run away from me,” he whispered against her lips, just barely touching.

“I’m not sure I could leave, even if I tried,” she answered.

“Tell me you won’t try.”

“I won’t try.”

His lips slowly pressed into hers and she exhaled all the tension she’d built up over the night into this kiss. It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t full of passion. It was simply loving. He caressed her mouth with his gently and gingerly, as if her were expressing with his lips how fragile he felt they were in that moment. He simply kissed her, loved her. She felt one of his hands rest on the curve of her waist, and she reached up and felt the stubble on his face.

“I’d find you, you know,” he said as he laid feather-light kisses along her neck.

“What do you mean?” She rasped, her heartbeat pulsing right under where his lips were caressing her on her neck.

“If you left, I’d find you. I found you once before. I’d find you again. Always.” She smiled at his words.

“So you’re saying there’s no point?”

“Absolutely none.”

“Ok.”

He kissed her again, then rolled her so that her back was to his front. She felt him nuzzle his face into her hair and neck, breathing in deeply.

“Go to sleep, Baby. Everything will look better in the morning.” Ella relaxed into his arms, letting herself melt into him as she had every other night they’d spent together. Her breaths started to even out and her mind started to wander. Images of the man ghosting past the window broke her from her relaxation and her body tensed at the sudden fear that shot through her body.

“Porter?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you lock the doors?”

“Yes, Babe. All the doors are locked, the sheriff is patrolling past the house, and I’m right here. I won’t let anyone get to you. I promise.”

She relaxed slightly at his words, and his protective hold on her helped, but she wasn’t used to feeling scared. She didn’t think it was a feeling to likely go away any time soon. He started to gently rub her back, massaging away the tension and fear.

“Sleep, Ella. I’m here; you’re safe.” She let the rhythm of his breathing and the feeling of his hands on her skin lull her into sleep.





Chapter Twelve


Ella


The next morning Porter woke her up, pulling her into the shower. They didn’t say any words about what had happened the night before. He just made love to her under the hot water, slowly showing her how much he needed her. The fear from the night before was still present, but having his arms around her made her remember that he would protect her always.

While she was getting dressed, she turned to him, taking a moment to admire his shirtless body.

“You are so ridiculously hot,” she said with a grin. He turned to her and smiled widely.