Love Bug (The Prescotts Book 3) by Tara Wyatt (electric book reader .TXT) 📗

“And there was nothing wrong with her. She was beautiful and smart and kind. At the time, I thought that I didn’t love her because I was broken. Because I didn’t know how to love someone. That I was too damaged.”

“Oh, Max,” she said softly, squeezing his hand, her heart breaking for him.

“She only wanted to be loved, and I couldn’t give that to her. The fight ended with an ultimatum: if I didn’t propose to her by the end of the summer, she was going to break up with me. And I told her that she shouldn’t waste her summer waiting for something that was never going to happen. I broke her heart.” He sucked in a breath. “And then, when she was upset, she went swimming and she drowned. And for a long, long time, I believed that that was my fault. If I hadn’t been so broken, if I’d been able to love her the way she deserved, she wouldn’t have died.” His voice was hollow. “I’ve spent the past eight years believing that her death was my fault.”

Unable to hold herself back, she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. She couldn’t fathom the guilt and the pain that he’d carried for so many years over what was nothing more than a tragic accident.

“And for years, I hung onto that,” he said, pulling her against his chest and settling back against the couch. “I didn’t date. I kept to myself, terrified that I’d hurt someone again. And then you came along.”

He slipped his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up to his. “From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special. I had this visceral reaction to you. I can’t fully explain it. But I was drawn to you, and that scared me because I didn’t trust myself not to hurt you. That was why I pushed you away after the home invasion.” He swallowed and she snuggled into him, pain throbbing in her chest for what he’d been through. For the hurt and guilt and blame he’d carried for all of these years. “I wanted to be with you more than anything, but I felt like I had to protect you from who I was—this monster who didn’t know how to love people, only hurt them. That night when you found me with the necklace, I was reminding myself of all of that. I lashed out at you because I was ashamed.”

“But then you found out that I was Fresh Princess,” she said softly around the lump in her throat. Her eyes burned with unshed tears.

“And I knew I couldn’t stay away from you. But I swore I’d do whatever it took to keep you from getting hurt. To protect you from my scars. I convinced myself that hiding this part of my past from you was something noble, but it wasn’t. I was scared, Willa.”

“Of what?”

“Scared that I’d show you my scars and it would send you running. That I’d lose you over who I’d been, even though being with you showed me the man I want to be. The man I could be, with you. And I was terrified to lose you.” He looked down at her, his heart in his eyes. “Because I know that you’re the love of my life. I know it in my bones. And if I lost you…” He broke off, scrubbing a hand over his face.

She held him tighter, able to see what talking about this was costing him. It probably would’ve been easier for him to take a knife and cut himself open. Yet here he was, giving her this gift of openness and vulnerability.

He gently eased her out of his arms and sat up. “Anyway. That’s all I came here to say. I wanted to tell you the truth.”

His eyes met hers and right then, she knew that was going to love Max Prescott for the rest of her life. Here he was, showing her that while it wasn’t easy for him, he could give her the openness she needed. He was trying, even though it was hurting him to do it. He was sacrificing his own comfort for hers. And while he wasn’t perfect, the fact that he’d come over to give her this, to be vulnerable and honest, meant a hell of a lot.

She reached out a trembling hand, laying her fingers on his scratchy cheek. “I forgive you,” she whispered. “I forgive you, Max.”

His eyebrows rose and she saw the hope lighting him up from within. His chest rose and feel as he took a deep breath. “You do?”

She nodded. “But I have a condition.”

He nodded. “Name it.”

“I want you to try to forgive yourself for what happened to Sophia. I want you to try to let go of the guilt and the pain. Because you’re not a monster. You’re not broken. And you’re not incapable of love. I know that because no one has ever loved me as big and bright as you do. No one.”

He licked his lips and then nodded. “I promise that I’ll try. For you, angel, I’ll do anything.”

She threaded her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer. “Thank you for letting me in,” she whispered, then pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly. He moaned and slid his hands around her waist, but then broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers.

“So we’re okay?” he asked, his voice quiet and reverent, like a prayer.

“Yeah. We’re okay.” She kissed him again. “More than okay. I love you, Max. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. We’re so much more than okay.”

“Thank fucking God,” he said, a genuine smile breaking out across his face, and he brought his mouth back to hers, the kiss deeper and hungrier this time. “I love you, Willa. So damn much.” And then he kissed her again.

It was a kiss that felt like coming home, and Willa knew that her home would be with Max