Page 71 of Traces Of You

She wrapped her arms around his neck and all but tried to blend into his body telling him in actions more than her words could ever express.

19

OUR FUTURE

“Ihave to talk,” Ford said. “I need to know how you feel. That you are doing this for the right reasons.”

Reenie should have realized his honor and moral code wouldn’t make this easy.

She ran her hand down the side of his face. A soft gentle caress full of tender emotions she’d never shown another person.

“Ford. My entire existence has been stuck in an echo chamber of doubts and insecurities. But with you, I don’t feel that way. I didn’t twenty years ago and I don’t now. Can’t that just be enough?”

He was searching her eyes, holding her close, but still not showing any signs of taking that next step.

“It should be enough,” he whispered.

“Is it because of my past? Because of Oliver? I haven’t been with him on a physical level in almost four months. Sex wasn’t part of our relationship. It was more about his control over me. Turning me into a servant who cooked and cleaned and waited on him. He got off on that more than anything else.”

Just another signal in the beginning. She should have left early on when Oliver hadn’t shown signs of wanting a sexual relationship, but she’d thought he was going slow. Giving her time.

Oliver was in his way. To knock down her confidence more. Not just physical abuse, but mental as well.

“I’m not judging your past,” he said. “I’m more concerned about your future.”

“Ourfuture.”

The minute those two words were out of her mouth, she knew there was no turning back for them.

His mouth crushed hers.

She’d told him she wanted to feel like a woman and he was showing her now.

It wasn’t just her mouth that opened, but her heart. Her soul.

Every part of her being destroyed that chamber that ever thought to pull her back in.

With Ford, there was a strength in her she hadn’t known she possessed.

Courage clawing out and telling her she’d be okay.

She’d survived before, but she was going to thrive now.

One moment she was lost in his kiss, the next her feet had left the ground. He was swinging her up and cradling her in his arms.

She felt light as a feather as he moved the few feet to her room and laid her down as if she were a sleeping baby he’d been terrified of waking.

She wanted to tell him he didn’t have to be so careful with her.

So gentle.

It’d fall on deaf ears.

He’d have to see it himself. He’d have to experience it.

And maybe just once in her life she’d like to feel cherished. She knew beyond a doubt Ford would make her feel that way.

He never broke the kiss, his hands having moved to her sides bracing himself above. She missed the heat of his body and pulled him down closer.