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

spoke again. “You know what, Nicole? I think you’re right.”  
    “How so?”  
    “Maybe you’re the sane one in all of this. I got caught up in the moment and thought there was something between us that obviously isn’t.” He frowned. “I never should have tried to draw you into it.”  
    “That’s it then?” Her heart dropped. “All because I don’t want something casual?”  
    “No, Nic. That’s not it at all.” He turned back to her. “It’s because you think I do. You have an idea in your head of what and who I am. Just because I seized a moment that felt like the ideal time to kiss you, that doesn’t make me some kind of predator that only wants one thing from you. I’m attracted to you. I think that’s clear. But if that’s what you think of me, then we are not seeing eye-to-eye.”  
    “I guess you’re right.” She turned away from him and started to walk back up the path.
    As furious as she was inside, she refused to let him see it. If he wanted to toss things out so easily, then there hadn’t much there to begin with. She was almost back to the resort when she heard him just behind her.  
    “Nic.”  
    “No more Nic. It’s Nicole—just Nicole.”  
    He grabbed her hand where it hung at her side. “It’s okay to be scared.”  
    “Is it?” She stole a glance at him. “All of that back there made me think it’s not.”  
    “It’s okay to be scared, as long as you’re honest with me. I want to spend the rest of this time with you. I promise—no pressure, no strings. But all of this is confusing to me too. I can’t keep my head on straight when I’m around you. It’s like everything in my body is drawn to you, and I’m fighting a battle to keep my feelings at bay.”  
    “Why do you think it’s so strong?” She traced a fingertip down along his chest. “What is this, between us?”  
    “I don’t know how to define it. I’ve never felt it before. But I want to explore it. I hope that you’ll give me that chance. I know you’ve been hurt, Nicole. I know that you’ve probably decided that you never want to allow yourself to be hurt again. I’ve decided that same thing. But now that I look into your eyes, now that I feel this unnameable lure, I can’t just walk away. If you tell me to go, I will. But I will be different because of you.” He reached up and cupped her cheek. “If you tell me not to kiss you, I won’t. But I will be thinking of it—dreaming of it—until the day you let me. If that’s too much for you, there’s nothing that I can do. This is me, telling you the truth. Your smile weakens me in ways I didn’t think possible. That’s not a line, it’s not a con, it’s not an attempt to gain your affection. It’s the mystery that I’m facing. All I want to know is if I’m facing it alone.”

Chapter 18  

    Gavin’s heart pounded hard in his ears. Somehow a simple walk had turned into far more than he’d anticipated, and he knew that it was because of him. As the ultimatum he proposed echoed through his ears, he was well aware that he’d probably taken things a step too far. But there was no backing up now. The truth was, he did want to know. He needed to be in control of what happened to him when Nicole looked in his direction, and so far he’d been failing at that.
    Nicole shifted as if she might turn away from him, but looked up at him instead. “I am facing it too, Gavin. I can’t say that I’m not. And yes, it’s scary for me. I just can’t promise you that it won’t be too much.”  
    “I’m not asking for that. I’m a grown man, who takes my own risks. This risk, I feel privileged to take. I think we ended up here together for a reason.”  
    “I think you’re right. I just don’t know how much risk I can take.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not as strong as I’d like to be.”  
    “You don’t have to be strong.” He brushed the back of his hand along the rise of her cheek. “This