Unforgettable (Cloverleigh Farms, #5)

by Melanie Harlow

When I reached his side, I touched his shoulder. “Hi.” Immediately he stood, offering me his seat. “You don’t have to get up,” I protested. He held up one hand. “Please. I know my manners were AWOL this morning, but I swear I have them. And my dad taught me that a man never sits while a woman stands.” He gestured toward the vacant stool.

That earned me a dirty look and poke on the shoulder, just like we were seventeen again and back at my dad’s old kitchen table. I never wanted this feeling to end.

“I don’t even remember Jenna Jones.” I smiled. “Jenna Holmes.” “See? But I remember you always smelled like birthday cake. I remember the way you’d play with your hair while you did math problems. And I remember this one little skirt you had, the way it would ride up your thighs when you sat on your knees at the kitchen table.” Forget about dancing. I couldn’t even feel my feet on the ground anymore. “Tyler?” “Yeah.” I slid my hand into his thick dark hair. “I want you to kiss me.” “It’s about fucking time.”

He kissed his way up one inner thigh. “See, some guys might be all about the shortcut . . .” He kissed his way down the other. “ . . . but I myself like a detour.”

“He’s also mentioned you about, ohhh, 5,862 times. That is, when he’s not speechless, staring at you across the room.”

“I don’t want to leave here tomorrow.” He pushed my hair back from my face. “I want to stay.”

“What would give you any doubt? I spent last night in your hotel room. I gave you a blowjob in my office. I was ripping your clothes off the second we walked in the door tonight. I am currently naked in your arms—all these things are indications that I like being with you. A lot.”

“What made you change your mind?” “Well, I’d be lying if I said the sex wasn’t part of it. Does that make me an asshole?” “Hmmm. Let me think about that.” She tapped her chin. “No, I don’t think it does. Because it’s sex with me. Unless, of course, you’re having sex with other people in this town I don’t know about.” I laughed. “Uh, no. I’m not having any other sex, in this town or any other town, frankly. And I haven’t in a long time.”

I managed to get out of bed without waking her, found my boxer briefs on the floor, and tugged them on. Scratching my head, I looked around for my pants, but didn’t see them. Where the hell had they landed? Quietly closing her bedroom door behind me, I headed for the stairs and spotted them on the second-floor landing. I grinned as I pulled them on, remembering last night’s stairway striptease, and the grin widened as I made my way down the steps and saw the rest of our clothing tossed haphazardly to the floor—except for April’s bra, which I’d somehow managed to throw high enough to snag the light fixture, from which it now hung.

“I don’t know what the second act of my life is going to look like, but I know you’re the best part of it.”

“Wherever you are is home to me. And I don’t want to leave home again.”

“But I don’t trust you yet. If you’re serious about what you’re saying here tonight, you’re going to have to prove it to me.” “Of course. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.” I shook my head. “Nope. It can’t work like that. I’m no longer writing your essays, Tyler. You have to figure this out.” Inhaling, he squared his shoulders. “Okay, I can do that. I think.”

“Hey. How was your morning?” “Good. Yours?” “Excellent. Virgil is doing better, I accepted the school’s offer for a coaching position, and I have an appointment with a realtor this afternoon to look at some listings on the water.” “Wow. You’ve been busy.” “I’m focused, that’s all. It’s easy when you know what you want.” His eyes held mine over the table, and heat bloomed at my center. “And I know what I want.”

“You’re really serious about this.” “I am.” He squeezed my hand. “I want to do right by you, and by Chip. I’m not gonna lie and say I’m ready to be his father, but I feel protective of you both. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make this easier, no matter how uncomfortable it is for me.”

“So are you okay? We’ve hardly had a chance to talk about how things went today.” “Yes. I feel good actually.” “I do too.” I wrapped my arm around him and squeezed him tightly. “Thank you.” “For what?” “For changing your mind. For coming back. For being there with me today.” “Well, how else was I going to win you back? Clearly my biceps were no longer enough. I had to get a little more dramatic.” I giggled. “It worked.” He kissed my head. “I’ll never stop trying to win you, April. I promise.”

“You know, I never imagined I could fall in love with anything the way I fell in love with baseball. But now . . . ” “Now?” I asked hopefully, my heart pounding. He pressed his lips to mine, and his kiss tasted like forever. “Now there’s you.”

Tyler got down on one knee. “April, I know I took the longest possible detour to get to this place, but believe me when I say there is nowhere else I’d rather be. You let me go when I needed to be free, and you pulled me in when I needed to belong. I never want to wake up another day in my life not knowing what it is to be loved by you.”