Make Me Yours (Bellamy Creek, #2)

by Melanie Harlow

“Because lightning never strikes the same place twice.”

“It’s all you, my friend. But you’ve got this. Just say the thing about love being worth the wait that you said to me the other night.”

I can’t sleep, because I can’t stop thinking about you. This might come as a surprise, but it happens a lot. And it’s been going on for years.

When I was a teenager, I used to dream about kissing you. Touching you. Feeling your body on mine in the dark. I used to lie awake and picture you in your bed next door, and I’d fantasize about sneaking into your house and up to your room. I’d have let you do anything you wanted to me. I still would. I could never, ever say these things out loud to you, so I’m hiding behind this text I will never send, but it’s the truth. I lie in bed at night and crave you. Your body. Your mouth. Your hands. I fantasize about them on me. I fantasize about a lot of things. You arrest me. Put me in handcuffs. Force me into the back of your car. Take me somewhere no one could find us. You’re angry with me for being bad. You say I need to be punished. You take that baton off your belt and rub it between my legs until I beg you to fuck me. You’d take off your—

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Darlene took a deep breath, gathering herself up. “Well, accidents happen. But when you have something precious in your hands, you need to hold on tight. Understand?”

“You’re making me crazy tonight.”

“The truth is, Cole, I’ve loved you hopelessly for so long that I don’t know any other way to do it. But being with you like that would give me hope, and that’s something I can’t afford right now.”

“I want you to know . . .” He ran a hand over his jaw. “I want you to know that I understand how you feel. And I hope you know how much I care about you. There hasn’t been anyone since Trisha that I—that I want this way.”

Stay with me, I wished I could have said. Kiss me. Touch me. Whisper my name, and I’ll whisper yours. Tell me again how you love me. Let me give you hope. Let me give you everything.

“You’re safe with me.” “But last night you said—”

“Yes. Apparently I am not an expert at hiding the way I feel about you.” “You hid it from me.” “Well, I don’t want to hide it anymore,”

“Not from you, not from myself, not from anyone. That’s why today was tough—because I realized that even though I have no fucking idea what I’m doing, I don’t want to lose you.”

“But from now on, the only hands that get near you are mine.” “Or mine,” she whispered, “while I pretend they’re yours.” “We’re done pretending,” I told her, rolling onto my back and bringing her on top of me. “From now on, we’re the real thing.”

Once Cole was gone, I allowed myself a moment to scream happily into my pillow, kicking my feet and pounding my fists against the mattress. “Best! Night! Everrrrrr!” I yelled.

“You take my breath away. Just like always.”

“Nope. I put it on out of habit, and then I took it off on purpose. I’ve thought about no one but you for months, Cheyenne. I was thinking about you when I got dressed. And I knew I was going to go after you, try to make you understand. I didn’t want to do that wearing the ring someone else put on my hand. I’m not married to her anymore.”

“And I want to be with you.”

“You know, you’re making it really easy to fall in love with you. Are you doing that on purpose?”

“It’s okay, Cole. I’m not going anywhere. We just have to be a little patient.”

laughed. “I just know that you’re worth the wait.”

“I don’t think that anymore. I know you wouldn’t leave me.” “That’s true,” I said seriously. “I would never leave you.”

suppose, now that I’m really

“Because I have been waiting for this moment my entire life, and the universe knows it.” His lips curved into a smile. “This moment right here?” “Mmhm.” “What’s so special about it?” “You’re here next to me.” “That’s it? No, no, no. Let’s make it more special than that.” He rolled over so that I lay beneath him and looked down at me. “I love you, Cheyenne. And I’m so happy you never gave up on me. I hope you know that.” My heart threatened to explode. “I love you too.” He pressed his lips to mine. “Say it again.” “I love you, Cole,” I whispered. “And everything is going to be okay. The best is yet to come.”

“The dragon is you. It’s your refusal to believe that happiness can last. Your fear of loss. Your anxiety about being vulnerable again.”

“Of course you are,” she said. “But in this instance, I think—subconsciously—the person you’re most worried about protecting is yourself. I think you’re in love with Cheyenne, and it’s making you feel threatened and exposed because of the way you lost your first wife. You suffered a deep wound, Cole. It’s only natural to harbor some fear it could happen again.”

You’re the best dream I’ve ever had, and you’re already right here.” “But I like doing things for you. And I feel like I wasted so much time trying not to fall for you, I want to make up for it.” “We’re not in a rush, Cole. This is the

“Now there’s us.”

What mattered was that I was the one he’d been willing to fight for. That we were together now. That when he looked into his future, he saw me. Us. A family. I would continue to show him patience, love, and understanding. I wanted him to feel safe with me.

“I don’t want you next door anymore, Cheyenne. You belong with me. You belong with us.”

“No, it isn’t. This is not about time, Cole. It’s not about time, it’s not about Mariah, and it’s not even about Trisha anymore—it’s about you.” I choked back a sob. “Anyone would have wounds after going through what you did. And in order to survive and be there for Mariah, you had to ignore them. But the scars are still there, and you have to look at them now if you want to move on and be happy. You have to talk about them. Share them with me.”

“I’m not over Cole. I don’t know if I ever will be.”

“Listen to me. I love you. I want a life with you, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to have it. Somehow I’ll find a way to prove it to you.”

“Cole Mitchell, you know damn well you’ve been the only boy for her since she laid eyes on you. Now go convince her she’s the only girl for you.”

“Where?” I asked, dabbing at my eyes before I looked at Cole. “Home.” He reached for my hand. “Let me take you home.” “What home? Whose?” He and Mariah exchanged a smile, then he looked at me again. “Ours.”

“The night I walked you home for the first time, I remember how you said it was something you used to dream about when we were kids.” “It was.” “And maybe I was just too dumb to see it back then, or maybe it just wasn’t our time, but I see it now—you and me, we belong together.” I put my hands over his forearms, holding them tight to my chest. He pressed his mouth to my hair. “Nothing is right without you, Chey. I’m sorry I hid the truth from you. You were right—I let you in, but not all the way. I didn’t fight for you the way I should have. But I want to, and I will. Please give me another chance.”

“Yes. And I survived.” His shoulders rose. “My scars aren’t pretty, but if you want to see them, I’ll show them all to you.” “Cole, that means everything to me,” I whispered, rising up on my toes to kiss his lips. “Everything.”

Cole.” “I get it now.” He kissed me softly. “I get you now. And I’ll never let go.”