Page 218 of The Reason I Married Him
She studies me, her eyes not letting up as I lift my mug of coffee to my lips. “Why do I feel like you’re lying to me?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer, hating that insecurity is already taking over her thoughts. “But I don’t want you worrying about anyone in my past. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Then tell me about her,” Aubree says.
I sigh and set my fork down before moving out of my side of the booth and sliding in next to her. She turns toward me, and I rest my hand on her thigh as I look her in the eyes. “Aubree, I need you to listen to me, okay?”
She nods as those beautiful eyes peer up at me.
“Nothing good will come if we talk about exes that didn’t matter. I like you a lot, and I’d rather spend our time getting to know each other on a deeper level, than the mindless people we dated.”
She twists her lips to the side as she looks down at her lap. “You’re right.” She sighs heavily. “I’m sorry. I guess my insecurities are showing.”
Just what I thought. Aubree is one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. She’s brave and strong, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone, but when it comes to feelings, when it comes to her heart, she’s not as strong as I think she wishes she was. She’s been hurt several times by multiple people. Starting with her dad, then Amanda, then Matt, and losing Cassidy on top of all of that, it hasn’t been an easy road for her. She’s going to guard herself, and she’s going to fall into thoughts and notions that are damaging to the confidence she’s been able to carry.
Telling her about Cadance and our engagement, our almost marriage, I’m not sure she’d be able to bounce back from that, at least not right now when we’re so new.
“Aubree,” I say. “You need to know that you don’t have anything to be insecure about when it comes to me. I’ve said it from the very beginning. This is just you and me. We’re in this together.”
“I know.” She leans her head against the tall booth seat. “I’m sorry.” She grumbles to herself, shaking her head, “I’ll be better.”
“Stop,” I say, having her look up at me. “You’re perfect. Just offer me a little more trust. All I want is happiness for you.” I smirk. “And now that you’ve finally given in to your feelings, you’re going to find a whole lot of happiness.”
Her face falls flat as she stares at me. “You’re so lame, Wyatt.”
“Lame? Ouch, babe. I thought that was clever.”
“Yes, an old man like yourself would.”
Now it’s my turn to scornfully look at her. “I’m notthatold.”
“Old enough to know what dial-up Internet was like.”
I point a finger at my chest and say, “Which makes me a fucking pioneer. You have no idea the kind of stress I suffered when I wanted to check my AOL messaging while my parents were expecting a phone call. It wasn’t easy.”
She pats my cheek. “Poor baby.”
“That’s right, poor baby. I should be compensated for the time I spent listening to that godforsaken screeching while the Internet connected.”
“And who dare I say do you think should compensate you? And what would this compensation be?”
“Well, given you’re a youth, I think it should be you. And frankly, I think compensation should be of the pleasurable kind.”
“Something is seriously wrong with you if you can say something like that in a diner full of trolls. What is wrong with you?”
I grin and lean in close. “When you get to taste a pussy like yours, it’s all you fucking think about, even when there are thousands of trolls staring me down.”
She tilts her head to the side, her previous insecurities washing away when she says, “I don’t know if I should be honored or horrified.”
“Maybe a little of both.”
“I knowI’ve said this like one hundred times,” Aubree says as we take a seat on a bench to look over the lake. “But Canoodle is truly adorable. It has the same feel as Almond Bay, but in the mountains. I can see why this place is so special to you.”
I drape my arm behind her and pull her in close. “Yeah, so many great memories were formed here. I couldn’t imagine what I’d have done if Wallace took the cabin.”
“Still haven’t heard from him?”
I shake my head. “No, and I won’t until he’s ready to strike.”
