Big Man’s Claim by Wylder, Penny (new ebook reader TXT) 📕

get my thoughts together. I'm a mix of shock and happiness that she's even here after how I treated her earlier.

Pointing a finger directly at me, her mouth folds into a heavy frown. “And I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth.” Her eyes turn razor sharp as her tone hardens. “I deserve to know why. Tell me why you're doing this?”

Raking an open hand over my head, I sigh loudly. “Mel—”

“Don't Mel me. I'm not looking for some dumb-ass excuse of it's not you, it's me, and all that bullshit.” Her hand moves through the air, cutting and slicing it apart. “Tell me the truth, the real reason you want to end this.”

“There's nothing to say.” Downing the last little bit of whiskey, I toss the bottle into the fire and lean back.

Her eyes narrow as her mouth twists up angrily. “I know about the bar. I know my brother told you to stay away from me.” My eyes jump up to hers as she keeps talking. “If you're walking away because of him, then maybe this isn't worth it. Because I don't give two shits about what he thinks or what he said. It doesn't matter. My parents were just about the same difference as us, so age isn't the issue. Is that why? Did he scare you off?”

Hanging my head, I lay my hands over the back of my skull and cover my face.

How do I explain this?

“Well? Say something!” she yells.

Grunting loudly, I snap my head up and stare at her.

There's so much anger in her eyes, but despite how much she hates me right now, she looks so beautiful in the light of the fire. Her skin is glowing as the flames move across her skin like waves.

Her chest is rising and falling rapidly as her fingers wiggle back and forth by her side and her jaw crooks. A cool breeze blows, causing sexy little goosebumps to erupt down her arms and her nipples to peak under her shirt.

My chest tightens as every muscle in my body crackles with electricity. But I still stay silent. I'm mute, unable to get out any of the thoughts running through my head.

“Nothing to say? Nothing at all?” Crossing her arms protectively, she tilts her head. “Fine, then sit there like a damn stump and just listen. If it was my brother, then you're too weak to handle me anyway. But if it's something else, if it has to do with me wanting a family in the future, then I'm gone for good. I will walk away, and you'll never see me again because that is something I absolutely will not give up.”

I need her.

Launching out of my chair, I scoop her face in my hands and kiss her. Instead of telling her how I feel and what I want, I show her.

There are no words to express how much I want this woman. I can feel her in everything. She's in every breath. She's in every heartbeat. And I can't stop it.

“I don't want you to go,” I finally say. “I never want you to go.”

“Then why push me away?”

“It's complicated, Mel.”

“That doesn't mean you can't explain it.”

Grabbing her hand, I pull her to the chairs by the fire, and sit her down. Slipping my fingers between hers, I pull her hand into my lap and tell her everything.

“A few years ago I had a good friend named Sadie. She was just a friend.” I reiterate, making sure she hears me. “Sadie had some guy twice her age stalk her. It got bad, really bad. There were threats, he'd follow her around, be outside her work or show up someplace she was. It was actually really scary. So we came up with a plan that we would pretend we were married. We moved in together, and made it all look legit, even spread some rumors that she was pregnant, all to hopefully drive that creep away.”

Running my thumb back and forth over the top of her hand, my eyes shift between hers. “It worked, he eventually backed off. For a little while after, we kept the lie going just to make sure. But, after a while, Sadie met someone, and dropped me entirely. We were friends since we were thirteen, and one day she just decided we weren't anymore. It hurt, it hurt a lot to lose her like that. So, I built up my wall, moved into this cabin, and decided I was better off alone.”

She smiles softly, lifting her hand to my cheek and stroking it gently.

“Then the rumors started. I became the man who abandoned his wife and child. I became the deadbeat, the loner with a wife and kid out there someplace in the world. But I was never really married, and I don't have a child running around out there somewhere.”

“Why didn't you ever say anything? Why did you let the rumors go on and not set people straight?”

“Because I still cared about her. Despite everything and how I felt about it, I still didn't want anything to happen to her. But maybe I should have, maybe I should have stood up to the rumors because none of it is true. . .” My voice fades out as I turn my attention to the fire.

She squeezes my hand reassuringly. “I understand why you did that for her. It means you care, and there's nothing wrong with caring.”

My eyes drift back to hers. “The truth is, I want everything you want. I want a family, I want someone to go hiking with, to laugh with, to live and experience life with. Being alone offers nothing. I want more than what I've been living. I got that with you, I got all of that with you, but I’m ten years older than you, and after that night with your brother, I was afraid I'd be holding you back. You're so young. You should be able to experience life however you want, and not