Page 25 of Ripple Effect

“Because of what happened earlier. For me? I need to know you’re safe.” His explanation is sweet, even if a little overprotective. I hand him my keys. Dropping a quick kiss on my nose, he whispers, “Stay here for just a second,” before disappearing inside my apartment.

Within moments, he’s back. “All clear.”

“I didn’t think he’d be that stupid.” I start to move past him, but he hooks an arm around my waist. It reminds me of the way he stopped me all those years ago, and I stiffen.

“If a man has an opportunity to resurrect something he stupidly burned to the ground, he’ll go to any length to do it,” Cal rasps out. And I know he’s not talking about Kyle.

He’s talking about himself.

Unable to tear my eyes away, I don’t avoid when he leans down and presses a gentle kiss against my lips before whispering, “Lock up behind me.” Cal lets me go to stride to the door.

Suddenly, I can’t help but ask, “Was tonight just about making up for our missed date?”

Cal freezes in place before turning around and facing me. We’re feet apart, and yet the visual caress his eyes give me causes my nipples to tighten. “No.”

“Then what was it?”

“It was just the beginning.” Then he turns and walks out.

15

Present Day

Elizabeth

“And it was?” Dr. Powell asks me.

“Yes,” I sigh in remembrance of the early days of Cal’s and my relationship. “Cal would randomly show up to drop off a coffee, lunch, or even randomly swoop in before work for a kiss. And the nights?” I let out a dreamy sigh.

“How would you describe it?”

I think about it hard. “Stirring? No, that’s not quite strong enough of a word. Heady? Stimulating? The more I was with Cal, the more I felt like we were always meant to be. It’s hard to describe the connection between us.”

“Was it love?” Dr. Powell asks me.

I bite my lip and then answer, “I was in this odd place where I was falling in love with the ridiculous things about him that I never knew existed. Yes, for me it was, though I hadn’t said so yet to Cal, nor he to me.”

“Why hadn’t you said it?”

“Self-preservation?” I respond dryly. After the laughter dies down, I answer seriously, “To be honest, I was terrified of letting Cal in. I’d already had one broken engagement, and frankly there was still so much I was afraid of.”

“Like what?”

“Like giving up the part of me that knew how to stand on my own. I knew I could survive as Elizabeth Akin.”

“But would you be happy?”

“Ahh, now you’re asking me the questions I was asking myself.” Another low chuckle that quickly subsides when I continue. “And the answer is simple. I’ll never be truly happy without Cal in my life. Even when I left him, I knew that. After all, how can you be happy when your biggest heartache isn’t dying but believing you have to let the person you love go to be with someone else?”

16

Calhoun

Twelve Years Ago from Present Day

“Big plans tonight, Cal?” Sam slams the door on his locker next to me. We just finished a ten-mile run after going over some intel that came in this morning. I was really hoping it didn’t pan out to be anything and said as much to Sam a few minutes ago.

“Yeah.” Reaching into my locker, I pull out my wallet and flip it open. Pulling out two tickets, I hand them over.