Love's Second Chance (Second Chances #1)(17)

I nodded, but the tears kept falling. The mood had cooled and what started out as an amazing and heat filled night turned into something depressing. Galen moved from in between my legs to lay down beside me. Propping himself up on his elbow, he wrapped a well-muscled arm across my bare stomach. He didn’t seem angry at all about our abrupt stop, and I couldn’t have been more thankful. When I got the nerve to look at him again he smiled gently, his eyes showing nothing except concern and understanding.

“Did you really want kids?” he asked apologetically.

I nodded. “I did and I still do. The misery I felt when I found out we couldn’t have children was devastating. There’s always that one percent possibility that I could still have one on my own, but the chances of that are very slim. We were going to adopt, but Carson passed away before we ever signed the papers.” Looking away for a second, I hesitated before asking him the same question. “Have you ever thought about having children?”

He looked me in the eye and smiled. “I’ve thought about it sometimes. You know, there are a lot of children that need to be adopted. I think it was a good idea that you were going to do it.” Releasing the breath I’d been unconsciously holding, I sighed with relief. I didn’t want to deprive him of having children of his own, because if he stayed with me he wouldn’t have them. Galen would make a great father. He was a completely selfless, caring, fun-spirited, and had the most loving heart of anyone I knew. However, what really sparked my interest was that he was single and not married. Any woman in her right mind would have jumped at the chance to be with him.

“Why aren’t you married? I’m a little shocked that you’re still single,” I asked skeptically. I knew he was dating someone before, but I didn’t know what happened to her or how long they had been separated.

He turned his head away and looked at the ceiling. Judging by his reaction, I guessed things with his last girlfriend didn’t turn out too well. “You don’t have to answer,” I said quickly. “I didn’t mean to pry, I was just curious. You’re an amazing guy and I can’t believe that you would even be single.”

Galen shook his head and laughed in disbelief. “No, it’s perfectly fine you asked me. Brady would tell you that I’m still single because of all the hours I work, but I don’t mind telling you,” he offered. “Do you remember Amanda? She’s the woman who was with me at Brady and Jenna’s wedding.”

Remembering very well the woman he spoke of, I rolled my eyes and nodded. She was a complete bitch around me, and it took all I had not to say something to her. “How could I forget,” I quipped sarcastically. “I do have a question though. Was she always a rude ass bitch, or was that just me she was acting that way to? I swear I could sense some rivalry there, but I chose to ignore it for the sake of Carson.”

“Oh, her bitchiness was just at you.” He laughed deeply. “She knew who you were and she knew of our past. Amanda actually accused me of still having feelings for you that night. She said she saw the way I was looking at you, and that I never looked at her the same way. Well anyway, we dated for a while and she kept pressuring me about marriage, which was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t love her, not in the way I love …”

He stopped abruptly and our eyes widened at the same time. Was he about to say he didn’t love her like he loves me? Waiting on him to finish his sentence, I was disappointed when all he did was run his fingers through his hair and laugh, completely trying to divert the attention from what he was going to say. He spoke again quickly, “Anyway, when I failed to profess my undying love for her, she cheated on me with one of my friends.”

I gasped. “Oh wow! I know that couldn’t have been easy to swallow. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t nearly as hard as what you went through with your husband.”

I turned my head away in shame. How could I talk about my husband when I was lying half-naked in bed with another man? The tears began to form, and before I could hide my face Galen leaned over me. “Don’t cry, Korinne. I’m sorry I brought it up. It’s just I know you went through so much and I want you to be able to talk about it with me.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you about it,” I whispered.

“Then what is it?” he murmured, taking my chin and guiding me to look at him.

Letting him turn my tear-streaked face to him, I gave in and openly admitted my guilt. “In a way I feel like I’m cheating on Carson by doing this, but I also know that he’s gone and that I should move on. I can’t deny my feelings for you, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. You and I have a history together, and that was way before Carson ever came along, but I can’t stop feeling that twinge of guilt when even the smallest amount of happiness comes my way,” I cried.

Galen placed both hands on my face and kissed me gently on the lips. When I opened my eyes, Galen’s clear blue gaze stared at me with pure love. He replied warmly, “Carson would want you to be happy, Korinne. You’re only twenty-eight years old. Don’t tell me you were expecting to be alone for the rest of your life?”

Shaking my head, I replied, “No, I don’t want to be alone, but I’m too afraid of losing someone else I love.”

“Oh, Korinne, you don’t have to be afraid. I’m not going anywhere.”