Free To Love Again: A Sweet Romance (Forty and Free Book 1) by Lillianna Blake, Maci Grant

continued to work his fingers through her hair.
    Nicole was mortified as she buried her face in his shirt. His scent engulfed her in a mixture of emotions—from flat-out need, to absolute fear.  
    “You must think I’m nuts to cry like this. I’m sorry.” As hard as she tried to stop the flow of tears, the panic she felt over his witnessing them only made more form.
    “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”  
    “No, you’re right.” She gathered herself enough to pull away from his arms. “I’ve been sending mixed signals. But that’s only because I’m so confused. I thought I was in for a solitary vacation at a resort. Now, this.” She glanced at him.  
    “It’s powerful, I know.” He reached for her again but she sidestepped his grasp.  
    “I’m sorry,   I just can’t, Gavin. It’s not you—”  
    “—Don’t.” He held up one hand. “Please, don’t finish that sentence.”  
    “But it’s true. I can’t handle this. I’m a mess.”  
    “You’re not a mess.”  
    “Yes, I am.” She wiped at her eyes and stared hard at the ground.
    He ducked his head to catch her eye. “Hey, look at me.”  
    She shook her head and pressed her hands over her face and then felt his strong grasp peel away her hands. She didn’t put up much of a fight, but was still stunned that he would make such an effort.
    “You don’t have to hide from me. Understand?”
    She blinked back fresh tears and tried to hold his gaze. “I want to be able to just enjoy this but I guess I’m not ready. I thought maybe I was, but clearly I’m not. I shouldn’t have stayed.”
    “No, don’t say that.” He cupped her shoulders with his hands. His eyes tensed as he looked at her. “You don’t have to be ready for anything. Just don’t tell me that you regret staying, because I can’t think of another place I’d rather be. I’m enjoying our time together—no matter where it leads.”  
    “Are you sure?” She searched his eyes for any hint of deception. “How can you be this patient?”
    He frowned as he studied her. “You’re not the only one who has reason to hesitate. I don’t know what I’m doing here, but I know it’s what I want. For years I believed that I would never want to try again, but all of that changed the moment I met you. I can’t explain it. In fact, I can’t quite believe it myself. But it’s happened and here we are.”
    She felt his palm coast along hers, then his fingers closed around her hand.
    “I’m not here to force you into anything. If you don’t feel the same way, you can tell me.”  
    “It’s not that. I mean, I don’t know how I feel.” She tried to form the words that would explain, but they were hard to find. “I guess all of this is just so unexpected.”  
    “But what is it that you want, Nicole?”  
    Her heart pounded in response to his question.  
    “I thought you weren’t going to force me into anything?”  
    His eyes tightened enough that the strain was visible. “I’m not. But I know what I feel. I can’t say I expected to feel it. But I do. I know what I want. I’m waiting for you to know the same. If you want to be friends, I’ll be your friend. But that’s not what I want. You don’t have to tell me now, you don’t have to tell me at all, but I think it would be best for you if you figure out what you want.”  
    “But how can I know that? You make it sound so simple. But is it? What exactly is it that you want?”  
    “You.” He took a step closer to her. “Sure it’s fast, sure it’s unexpected, but I’m not going to ignore something as intense as what I feel for you.”  
    “What does that even mean?” She held his gaze, unwilling to let him charm his way out of an answer. “What is it that you expect this to become? I’m not interested in a fling, Gavin. I know it’s popular now to be casual but—”  
    “That’s what you still think of me?” He sighed and looked away from her for several seconds before he