I’d bitten off way more than I could chew. She may be acting different but I wasn’t and the sudden abundance of exposure to her was having the now expected effect.

I watched her putter around my kitchen like she lived here and noticed she was deliberately ignoring me and talking to the dog. Unless she needed to know where something was of course, then she remembered that I existed.

I let her play her game though it was beginning to chafe, but I’d be damned if I was going to let her see that. But a funny thing happened while she was ignoring me. She was being so obvious with her shit that I was able to take my time and study her.

I knew that since she was pretending to ignore me she wouldn’t turn and look at me, so I took the opportunity to look my fill. There was no doubt that I liked what I saw. What was fucking with me now tough was the fact that I had no idea how to deal with her. I realized what my problem was; she scares the shit outta me.

It seemed the more time that went by, whether we were together or not, the stronger those feelings became. By the time she placed the omelet with toast in front of me at the table I was rock hard and confused as hell.

This time when I was through eating I said thanks and see you later. I would’ve bolted from the room to hide my erection, but why bother. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t coming back here and putting up with my shit to clean my house and it definitely had nothing to do with repaying a debt.

After that short as shit phone call from my brother I’d lost all doubt that there was something up with those two. But it’s because I’d spent another restless night worrying about whether or not I’d hurt her with my gruffness that had me toeing the line.

I still wasn’t sure where this shit was going or even if I wanted it to go anywhere, and that’s where the fear came in, maybe. That and there was so much more plaguing my mind.

Like the fact that I’d never felt anything like this before. That I didn’t trust the quickness in which this had all happened. I’d met her just a few short days ago, and yet…and yet it feels like I’d known her forever.

The fact that she stayed on my mind more than any one thing has in the past three and a half years was also very telling, and let’s not forget the number she was doing on my dick. My shit hasn’t been this hard for anyone in a long fucking time.

So I left her in there and headed outside to the shed. It was the dead of summer but I grabbed my axe and decided now was as good a time as any to stock up on firewood. It was either that or drag her off to my bed by her hair and fuck her until this ache went away.

I stood still as a statue after he left, letting the fact that I was really here settle in. From the minute I showed up, expecting him to reject me again, until he actually sat down to eat, I’ve been on pins and needles. Sure his brother and I wanted this for him, but who’s to say that he wants the same.

Now I have no doubt that he does, at least some part of me anyway. I had to lean my hand against the edge of the table and catch my breath. There was a sweet tingle low in my tummy and even lower, between my thighs.

Was that his…thing? Of course it was you ninny. A man like him wouldn’t stuff socks down his drawers like the boys in high school used to. That’s most definitely all him.

I had the urge to press my hand against the heated flesh between my thighs for some relief but was too embarrassed. What if he caught me? The thought made my cheeks heat with a blush.

For the rest of the morning the sight of his bulge was never too far from my thoughts. I don’t know why I found his want of me so sexy, but knowing that his reaction is an involuntary one that he has no control over and yet….

I fanned my face as I dragged the sheets off his bed. I kept imagining him taking me there and the pictures in my head were so vivid they were almost real. I’d been a bit skeptical about coming into this room again after what happened last time, but I shored up my resolve and forged ahead.

This time I had a completely different reaction to the picture next to his bed, so close. I understood a little bit more now about the way he reacts to his reaction to me. Guilt! Words hardly ever work very well with guilt, but actions do.

Maybe if I can get him to see that it’s okay to love again, that it’s not a betrayal. But to do that I’m gonna have to come out of my shell, to leave my comfort zone far behind and do some pursuing of my own.

The thought was just slightly nauseating, but when measured against the end result, my fear of making a fool of myself came up short. So it was with my mind made up that I entered the forbidden lair again.

Once I was done there and the laundry was folded and put away, there was really nothing more left for me to do. So I headed back to the kitchen and dragged out one of his big cast iron pots from beneath the cupboard and got the stuff I needed to make him a big pot of chili.

Mind you I’ve never made chili before, but two things made me decide on this. Well three actually. One, he looks like the kind of man who’d enjoy his chili. The rough outdoors type.

Two, I can follow instructions very well, in fact I’d learned most of my cooking from Google, though I tended to gravitate towards fine cuisine, and three, my recipe takes at least three hours

I watched her from the doorway again, she looked happy as she chopped onions and sang to herself. I’d taken the dog with me this time, yes, I’m jealous of my own damn dog, so she only had herself for company.

She had no idea I was there so I looked my fill and with each second that passed, something warm and sweet came alive inside me. It would be so easy to walk over there and run my fingers through her bright sun gold hair.

Or wrap my arms around her from behind and kiss her cute little ear. Only one thing held me in check … for now. Her ass was tiny as fuck. She was like half my height and weight and I had a real fear that she’d get hurt if I took her to my bed.

Elena had been a strapping five-ten and could hold her own in the bedroom. But this tiny little thing, how the fuck was she going to take thirteen inches of steel hard rod in her belly?

Maybe I should just call this whole thing off, just send her on her way with a thanks but no thanks. But that little voice in my head told me it was too late.

Just then she looked up at me and the smile that crossed her face smoothed some of the raw edges in my gut. For the first time I returned her smile and she damn near chopped off her finger.

“Hey, be careful.” I was by her side in seconds, lifting the finger she’d nipped to inspect it. “You barely scratched the surface but it’s bleeding, come.” I took her hand and led her from the kitchen to the little guest bathroom down the hallway.

“Sit!” I closed the toilet lid and made her sit while I rummaged around in the medicine cabinet for what I needed.

“It’s not that bad Braden look, the bleeding has all but stopped.”

I ignored her and took her hand in mine, leaning over until our heads met. “You’re blocking my light princess move.” This time the word didn’t sound like an insult, but the endearment I intended.

She lifted her head the same time I lifted mine and we ended up face to face with our mouths and eyes, so close. I swallowed hard feeling like an untried boy first time at bat.

And then she licked her lips and it was like an open invitation. I leaned in the few inches needed, giving her more than enough time to pull away. And when she didn’t, when her eyes came up to mine and I saw the desire, the want, the need, it was all I needed.

Her lips were as soft as I’d imagined they would be. I started out slow not wanting to scare her. Soft little touches of my lips against hers, and then she opened up the slightest bit and I felt the tip of her tongue.

I dove in, covering her lips completely as I wrapped an arm around her middle from behind and drew her in closer. Her arms came around my neck and I’m not sure which one of us deepened the kiss but I soon had her tongue in my mouth.

I felt a release inside, like something was finally settled and I had a pretty good idea what that something was. Now I understood what that feeling is that has been plaguing me.

I don’t know how or why, but then again I never have. It’s the thing that had made me so good in the marines, that sense of knowing, a sixth sense they call it.

This time it had nothing to do with danger though, it was about her, my mate. I’m sure as I’m breathing that that’s what that whole thing was about. It was a premonition. But since I wasn’t expecting it in the midst of a dangerous situation, how was I to know?

I hadn’t felt it the first time I fell in love. That last thought had me easing away as the guilt came back full force. I know this didn’t mean that I didn’t love my wife, I’m positively sure that I did. But it meant that this little girl in this backwoods town that I’d moved to after the loss is the one that had been meant for me.

I looked at her now, trying to make sense of the implications. How could that possibly be? I’m a good nine years older than she is. Had my wife lived I would’ve loved her forever I’m sure, so how…

Something in her look said she understood where my mind had gone. She lifted her hand and cupped my cheek and that smile, that knowing, understanding smile. It damn near broke my heart.

Instead of pulling away I leaned in again and took her lips once more. This time her hands held my face as if holding me in place as I fed on her mouth. Her sweet young innocent mouth.

I wanted to take her here and now, but it was too soon. We hadn’t even talked about where this was going or what either of us wanted out of this. So I pulled back even though my dick was at breaking point.

“Let me finish taking care of your finger baby.” She blushed prettily and lowered her head as I took care of her, wrapping a band-aid around the little nip before kissing it like I’ve done countless times with my nieces. “All better!”

She giggled and the sound brought me up short. What am I really doing here? With this young girl who doesn’t seem to have lived yet. “Have you ever been with a man before?”

I knew the answer even before she ducked her head and shook it no. Instead of fear I felt…elation. My first virgin. My dick sprang right the fuck up and it wasn’t long before I felt a little bead of precum form on the tip behind my zipper.

I lifted her chin with my finger. “You better be very sure that this is what you want, with me. I don’t want you doing this out of some misguided sense of gratitude, you don’t owe me anything. But if you want me, want this, then come back to me. If you don’t… it’s best if you stay away.”