Read Online Lakeside Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) by Angelina Rose - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Angelina Rose
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next.”
“You can’t always know what happens next, Erica. Trust me,” he said letting go of her hands and leaning back against the counter. His words cut through her like a knife. How could she have said something like that to a man who’d lost his wife?
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay, honey. You never have to walk on eggshells around me,” he said putting his hand on her cheek. “I’m developing strong feelings for you, Erica, and I know you feel the same. I’m scared just like you are. If I fall in love again, I’ll always worry that I’m going to lose that person. But isn’t love worth the risk?” His question rang through her head, and she didn’t know what to say. Was love worth it to her?
“I hope so. I’ve honestly never experienced real love. I know that now, and maybe that’s what scares me. What I had with Max for so many years wasn’t real love, and it still hurt like crazy. You’ve already lost a real love, and you know what you’re risking. I only have unknowns…”
“Have you ever heard the saying ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’?” he asked.
“Yes, but this isn’t a sporting event, Dylan,” she said. She could tell she was frustrating him, but she didn’t know what to do. “I think it might be best if I go home earlier than I planned, Dylan.”
“Are you kidding me? That’s it, Erica? You’re willing to just give up and cower away like nothing ever happened between us?” She could feel the hurt and anger in his words.
“I just can’t…”
“Never mind. Don’t finish that sentence. Safe travels, Erica.” She was shocked when he walked out the back door and started to push the kayak into the lake. She ran outside and down the stairs, mad as fire that he’d given her up so easily.
“Excuse me!” she yelled at him with her hands on her hips.
Dylan turned around, surprised to see her there. “What?”
“You just gave up that easily? Do you know nothing about romance?” At her core, she’d had no idea she wanted him to fight for her, maybe even grovel a little bit. Then she mentally kicked herself realizing he didn’t deserve that at all.
“Romance? What about caves and waterfalls and kisses and home cooked meals, Erica? Is that not romantic enough for you? If begging a woman to love me is romantic to you, then you’ve got the wrong man.”
Wait, did he just say “love”?
“Did you just say love?” she asked as the breath was sucked from her lungs.
His face went pale as he started walking toward her. “What if I did? Would you turn tail and run?”
“I didn’t run the first time.”
“You were about to pack up and leave, Erica!”
“I didn’t get a chance before I saw your cute butt high tailing it out of my kitchen!”
They both stood there staring at each other for a moment before laughter broke out. Erica was in hysterics, and tears were running down her cheeks. Dylan was bent over trying to catch his breath.
“What are we doing, Erica?” he asked when he finally caught his breath from laughing. “Are we risking both of our hearts for something that could be amazing, or are we giving up to prevent any chance of a heartache?”
“Dylan, I…”
“Let me ask you this way,” he said softly as he walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “If you pack up and leave today, can you honestly say you could leave me, and this time we’ve had together, behind? Or, would your heart ache anyway?”
A stray tear rolled down her cheek as she realized he was right. There was no getting him out of her head or her heart… no matter how far she ran. He would always have a permanent place.
“I couldn’t leave this behind,” she said softly as she looked up at him. He leaned in and kissed her gently.
“Good. Then, can we get on with our day?” he asked smiling. “I’ve got a pot roast to
“You can’t always know what happens next, Erica. Trust me,” he said letting go of her hands and leaning back against the counter. His words cut through her like a knife. How could she have said something like that to a man who’d lost his wife?
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay, honey. You never have to walk on eggshells around me,” he said putting his hand on her cheek. “I’m developing strong feelings for you, Erica, and I know you feel the same. I’m scared just like you are. If I fall in love again, I’ll always worry that I’m going to lose that person. But isn’t love worth the risk?” His question rang through her head, and she didn’t know what to say. Was love worth it to her?
“I hope so. I’ve honestly never experienced real love. I know that now, and maybe that’s what scares me. What I had with Max for so many years wasn’t real love, and it still hurt like crazy. You’ve already lost a real love, and you know what you’re risking. I only have unknowns…”
“Have you ever heard the saying ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’?” he asked.
“Yes, but this isn’t a sporting event, Dylan,” she said. She could tell she was frustrating him, but she didn’t know what to do. “I think it might be best if I go home earlier than I planned, Dylan.”
“Are you kidding me? That’s it, Erica? You’re willing to just give up and cower away like nothing ever happened between us?” She could feel the hurt and anger in his words.
“I just can’t…”
“Never mind. Don’t finish that sentence. Safe travels, Erica.” She was shocked when he walked out the back door and started to push the kayak into the lake. She ran outside and down the stairs, mad as fire that he’d given her up so easily.
“Excuse me!” she yelled at him with her hands on her hips.
Dylan turned around, surprised to see her there. “What?”
“You just gave up that easily? Do you know nothing about romance?” At her core, she’d had no idea she wanted him to fight for her, maybe even grovel a little bit. Then she mentally kicked herself realizing he didn’t deserve that at all.
“Romance? What about caves and waterfalls and kisses and home cooked meals, Erica? Is that not romantic enough for you? If begging a woman to love me is romantic to you, then you’ve got the wrong man.”
Wait, did he just say “love”?
“Did you just say love?” she asked as the breath was sucked from her lungs.
His face went pale as he started walking toward her. “What if I did? Would you turn tail and run?”
“I didn’t run the first time.”
“You were about to pack up and leave, Erica!”
“I didn’t get a chance before I saw your cute butt high tailing it out of my kitchen!”
They both stood there staring at each other for a moment before laughter broke out. Erica was in hysterics, and tears were running down her cheeks. Dylan was bent over trying to catch his breath.
“What are we doing, Erica?” he asked when he finally caught his breath from laughing. “Are we risking both of our hearts for something that could be amazing, or are we giving up to prevent any chance of a heartache?”
“Dylan, I…”
“Let me ask you this way,” he said softly as he walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “If you pack up and leave today, can you honestly say you could leave me, and this time we’ve had together, behind? Or, would your heart ache anyway?”
A stray tear rolled down her cheek as she realized he was right. There was no getting him out of her head or her heart… no matter how far she ran. He would always have a permanent place.
“I couldn’t leave this behind,” she said softly as she looked up at him. He leaned in and kissed her gently.
“Good. Then, can we get on with our day?” he asked smiling. “I’ve got a pot roast to
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