Reclaim (Release, #2)

by Aly Martinez

“You’re the only man I’ve ever thought about.” Her warm breath filled my every inhale. “Every night, Cam.”

“You know I love you, right?” she rushed out. My chest got tight. “I know.” “No, Cam. I mean I really, really love you. I always have.” “I know that too, babe. And I love you too. Always.” “Then show me.” Her mouth claimed mine. “Show me what love feels like.”

We were clumsy and inexperienced, but we learned together. We were teeth clanking and a slip out here and there. But eventually, we found our rhythm. Our stride. Our version of physical love.

The truth that always lingered between Nora and me. Our story was a tangled tale of time and distance. Choices and consequences. Love and longing. But, throughout, we were never on the same page at the same time.

Nora, you have been enough for me every single day of my life. Timing is everything and we’re not there yet. But don’t you ever fucking let me go. Do you hear me? Never.”

“Five years, five hundred years—it doesn’t matter. I want you, Nora. In my life. In my bed. At my side. Any and every way I can have you. I only want you. I don’t care if it’s messy or complicated. I don’t care if you are still working through the shit-hand life dealt you. I don’t care how it comes or what it looks like. I only want you.”

“That ten has always been a safety net for us. A way we could find each other and a reason to come back. It was what bound us to one another when we couldn’t be together in reality. We don’t need it anymore, Nora. This is real now. It’s you and me forever. From here on out. Every day. No searching for just-in-case moments. No fallback plans or fail-safes. If I need you, you’ll only be in the other room. When you need me, I’ll be just outside. What better way to use that money than to put it down as the first building block on our future together?”

“I love you so much, and I love every single thing about the words you just said too. I will happily give you ten dollars as soon as we get back to the car. But you have lost your mind if you think I am ever getting rid of our ten-dollar bill. That is mine. Do you hear me? You gave it to me, and I’m finally ready to accept it.” “Well, it took you long enough.” He laughed deep and rich, cocooning me in his strong arms, which had been holding me up even from a distance for the majority of my life. Arms that I had no doubt would hold me close, through good times and bad, every day for the rest of my life.

Choices. Everyone makes them. And by some miracle I would never understand, Camden chose me.