What was I going to do now? Stay in this town that has been my only refuge? Or should I move on and start fresh somewhere else? The thought of uprooting Remmy again, after everything that had happened, made my stomach churn.
He’d already reacted badly to me trying to leave before even though we were in danger at the time.Now that there isn’t any danger, how would he react to such a thing?
I hear the rumble of a bike before I actually see it pulling up in front of the cabin. A small smile tugs at my lips as I see Ringo.
He’d been around a lot lately, even more than usual. At first, I thought it was just his way of making sure we were still safe, but I can’t deny the way my heart speeds up every time he’s around.
There was something more between them, something that made her pulse quicken and her breath catch in her throat. Even something more than the intimate moments they have shared.
Parking his bike, he walks up the steps, his easy smile making my heart flutter. “Hey,” he says, pulling her closer to kiss her lips softly.
“Hey,” I reply, my voice soft as I return his smile. “Back again?”
“You know me,” he says with a chuckle, leaning against the porch railing. “Just making sure you’re okay.”
I roll my eyes playfully. “You’ve been checking on me a lot lately, Ringo. Starting to think you might just like me a little.”
“Can’t argue with that.” His answer gave me butterflies.
We spend the next hour together, sitting on the porch as we have done so many nights before. He doesn’t push me to talk about what has happened or make any decisions about what might be next. He just stays close, a steady presence that is becoming more and more important to me.
I catch myself stealing glances at him. The easy way he carried himself, the warmth in his eyes whenever he looked at me. It was all starting to add up in my mind to something I hadn’t really expected.
I was falling for him. The realization hit me like a wave, both exhilarating and terrifying. I hadn’t let myself feel this way about anyone, ever. But here he was, patient, kind, and unwavering in his support for me and for my son. He wasn’t pushing me, wasn’t demanding anything from me. He was just there, waiting for me to be ready.
“Come on. Go for a walk with me.” He holds his hand out for my own.
Grabbing it, he pulls me up but doesn’t let go of my hand. Instead he tangles our fingers together the way I’ve seen other couples do.
We stop at a small clearing, not far into the trees. “Ringo, can I ask you something?”
He looks over at her, his expression gentle. “Anything.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to steady the whirlwind of emotions running through my mind. “Why do you keep coming around? I mean, I know you care about Remmy, but... it feels like there’s more to it.”
His gaze softens even more, and he takes a step closer, his hand reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“Of course there’s more,” he admits. “I care about you. I’ve cared about you since the day we met. But I don’t want to push you, especially with everything you’ve been through.”
My heart pounds in my chest, and I look up at him, searching his eyes for any sign of doubt. But all I can see is honesty and something deeper, something that made my pulse quicken.
“I’ve been trying to give you space,” he continues, his hand lingering by her cheek, “but I also wanted to make sure you knew that I was always here, in case you needed someone. In case you needed me.”
I feel a warmth spreading through my whole body, a sense of safety I’d never known I craved so deeply. “I don’t feel alone when you’re here.” I whisper, my voice barely audible.
He smiles, a slow, genuine smile that makes her heart flutter. “Good,” he murmurs, his thumb brushing gently against my skin spreading another kind of warmth in my center. “Because I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
My breath catches, my emotions swirling inside. I knew I needed to make a choice. A choice to either stay, to let myself be happy for once, to take a chance on something new.
And with Ringo standing there, looking at me like I was the only person in the world, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was more ready to take that chance.
Without overthinking it, my lips find his in a soft kiss. His hand slips to the back of my neck, pulling me closer as he takes the kiss deeper. I want to melt into this man. The kiss is slow, filled with all the unspoken feelings that were building between us.
Ringo finally breaks the kiss, pulling back to look into my eyes. I stare up at him, my heart so full I fear it might burst. “I think I’m falling in love with you,” I admit before I lose my nerve.
His smile widens, his eyes dance as he looks back at me. “I think I’ve been waiting to hear that for a long time because I already know I’m in love with you.”
I gasp at his own admission. I search his face for anything that might indicate differently, but I see only love shining out at me.
For the first time, I felt like the future was something to look forward to and not something that I should fear.
And as I leaned into Ringo, resting my head against his chest, I knew that whatever came next, I wouldn’t be facing it alone. I’d always have this huge silent man in my corner to cheer me on.
The End...
