Read Online Acceptance, The by Bernadette Marie - Free Book Online Page B

there?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’ll be over in a half hour.”
     
    The doorbell rang exactly a half hour after Courtney had called. He’d come. He’d said he would and he had.
    Courtney walked to the door. “Tyler?”
    “Yes, it’s me,” he said from the other side of the door.
    She pulled it open. “Thank you for coming.”
    “My pleasure.”
    “Come in.” She stepped back and felt him brush by her as he walked through the door. “I’ll try to not keep you long. I just need to do this for my own peace of mind.”
    “I understand.” She felt his fingers take her hand and give it a squeeze. “Do you mind if I turn a few lights on?”
    She laughed. “Of course. Fitz used to say the same thing. He was forever bumping into things. Nothing in this house ever moved, but he could run into it.”
    She heard the click of the lamp on the end table and could see the adjustment in light.
    “Thanks. Okay, what do we need to do?” he asked.
    “Right. Let’s get started. You’ll need to be getting back to bed. I shouldn’t have awakened you. It was selfish of me and…”
    He’d moved to her and his hands were on her hips. She could feel his breath on her cheek and then his lips pressed against hers.
    Tyler’s lips were soft and his mouth tasted of mint. He’d brushed his teeth before he’d come and she found it endearing. Perhaps he’d wanted to come. Perhaps he’d had plans to kiss her, too.
    What was she doing letting him kiss her? Her brother had died and she’d buried him. He was here to help her. And—as her parents would see it—he was a stranger.
    But as she lifted her arms around his neck and he deepened the kiss she found she didn’t care.
    She’d met him only days ago on a flight that was a mere few hours. But she’d spent nearly the whole day with him today and he’d kissed her over and over. What did it mean when in such a short time she was so comfortable around him?
    This had never happened to her before. And though she enjoyed the game of trying to get the attention of men by dropping her scarf, she’d never caught one.
    Tyler pulled back. “I shouldn’t do that to you,” he said as he pressed his forehead to hers.
    “Why?”
    “I only met you. You have a lot going on in your life and I’m trying to put mine back together.”
    “All the more reason I think we should kiss and enjoy each other. We both need someone.”
    “But when the need is gone…”
    “It’ll never be gone. There’s an acceptance going on here. You’re trying to accept what you didn’t know and I’m trying to accept what I’ll never get back—my brother.”
    Tyler pulled back. His hands came to hers and he linked their fingers. “I didn’t expect this when I met you on the plane.”
    “How could you have?”
    “Did you?”
    Courtney shook her head. “No, you just smelled good.”
    That made him chuckle. “Thank you for calling me.”
    “I couldn’t think of anyone else I wanted to have over to help me with this.”
    Tyler released her hand and stroked his down her hair. “I know this is all new. You don’t know me from Adam, but you saying that means a great deal. I’m never going to let you down on purpose, Courtney. I can’t guarantee I won’t fail you at some point. But it won’t be on purpose.”
    She tucked her lips in between her teeth and let his words resonate. “So, if you disappear from me it won’t be on purpose?”
    There was no way to keep her words controlled. They shook on her voice like a wave of panic for the ears to hear.
    “I’m saying I’m not perfect.”
    “I’d despise you if you were.”
    “I’ve broken the heart of everyone I love. I walked away when they all needed me.”
    “But you came back.”
    “I never should have gone.”
    For a moment she had to remind herself that they were both momentarily broken. As much of a pillar of strength as he’d been all day, his involvement with her was stirring up feelings in him he hadn’t yet dealt with. Fair enough.