Convincing Her Read online

  Angie finally met his gaze, taking a hesitant step forward, “Is it okay that I’m here?”

  His tongue felt stuck to the roof of his mouth and he had to swallow twice before he could answer, “Yes, of course.” He forced his arms to move pulling out the chair beside him.

  His mom sat down first, glancing at his father, “Richard, this is Angie. I’ve been chatting with her for the last few weeks. Introduce yourself.”

  His father stood, making his way over to Angie and giving her an awkward hug, “Good to finally meet you. Come on, we don’t bite. The food is getting cold.”

  Her face turned red and Rich wondered if she was thinking the same thing he was. His body heated as remember that first day, his teeth closing on her nipple as she screamed.

  She looked up at his dad and then cast a glance at Pete as she gave him a small wave, “You really do look just like him.” Making her way to the chair, she sat slowly, accepting the glass of water Pete placed in front of her.

  Mom sat a plate in front of her, spooning massive amounts of turkey, stuffing and potatoes on top. “Help yourself to anything else you want okay?”

  Angie nodded, picking up her fork and pushing the food around. “Hey.” She whispered, shooting a glance his way.

  “Hey.” He knew he should say more, but his brain still wasn’t functioning at full capacity.

  They sat in awkward silence, his father the only one who began to eat again.

  “Well, I thought this could wait until after dinner, but it doesn’t appear that it can.” His mother started in, taking his dad’s free hand. “There are some things about my life that I just don’t think you kids need to know about. But I want to explain why everything seems so different now. I know you boys are curious as to what changed.”

  She sighed and continued, “I’m sorry I can’t share more with you, but what I can tell you is that when I was raised, things were different. Bad things happened to me, and what your father and I had was simply a marriage of convenience for many, many years. He knew I wasn’t capable of love, and we were compatible otherwise.” She squeezed his father’s hand again, “After a lot of therapy I’ve been able to overcome some major obstacles. We’re just now figuring out what love is. We can’t get the time we lost back.”

  Sending a pointed look at Angie, sadness filled her eyes and she focused first on Pete, then on Rich, “I’m so sorry that my inability to love affected you two as well. I know I can never change what has happened, but I’m going to try to be the mother I promised myself I was going to be. I’m so proud of both of you for taking the risks you have, for letting yourselves care for people. Relationships are hard, especially when you don’t know how a good relationship is supposed to be. Your father has been so patient with me. After you boys went off to college, I was sure he was going to leave me. But instead,” she blushed, “he pursued me like we’d never met before. We even started dating.”

  “We took a trip to Hawaii. It was amazing.” His father chimed in, “I fell in love with your mom, and I made sure she knew it.” He winked at Rich, “That’s all you can do. All the rest will fall into place if it’s meant to be.”

  “Your father is right. Now despite the fact that I’ve been munching all day, I’m ready to eat.” His mother’s gaze landed on Angie again, “Are you ready to join me?”

  “I know I am.” Pete dug in, eyeing Tracy until she did the same.

  Rich didn’t have to be a genius to know they weren’t just talking about enjoying the meal, and so he waited, holding his breath.

  Angie picked up her fork again, stabbing a large piece of turkey, “I’m ready.”

  After they were done stuffing themselves, Rich finally glanced at Angie. She looked utterly, miserably full. He had a feeling it had been a long time since she’d felt the sensation. “You didn’t save room for pie.”

  A small smile curved her lips, “There’s always room for pie. Just give me a few minutes.”

  He felt his own smile widen until he felt his face might crack, “Are you actually going to let me have some this time?”

  “Depends,” she quipped, “is it peach?”

  He let out a small laugh as relief washed over him. He knew this was just the beginning of them finding each other again, but it was a start. That’s all he could ask for.

  “If the girl wants pie, give her pie. It’s all very simple.” His father sat back in his chair, rubbing his stomach. “I sure won’t let that cheesecake go to waste.”

  Angie sat up straight in her chair, “Cheesecake?”

  Tracy laughed, “We’re going to have to work out extra hard tomorrow aren’t we?”

  “I won’t be done by tomorrow.” Angie pushed her hair out of her face, glancing at his mom. “Thanks, for you know, everything.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, you kids go watch some TV while I make a pot of coffee.” His mom gave him a pointed look.

  He could take a hint. “C’mon,” he grabbed Angie’s hand in his, pleased when she didn’t pull away, “we need to talk.”

  She took a deep breath before standing, “Yeah, we do.”

  Two hours later Angie was sprawled on the couch, her head resting in his lap as he stroked her hair, “So how did you and my mom start talking?”

  They’d talked about a lot, about how they’d both felt after she’d left him at the lake house, about the time they had missed, about school, but he could tell she was still struggling.

  “Tracy gave Vivian my number when she asked for it. She warned me, but I was convinced your mom was going to call and chew me out for fucking you over like that.” She squeezed his thigh, “I should have told you goodbye. I’m sorry about that. I just couldn’t do it.”

  “It hurt.” He admitted, “I was pretty pissed too. But I’ve had a lot of time to think. I don’t understand why you just gave up like that and I probably never will.” He took a few calming breaths, “You can’t do that to me again. Even if this doesn’t ever become anything, you can’t just take off on me and completely cut me off.”

  “I didn’t take off completely you know. This is going to make me sound like a stalker, but I watched you. At least I did after I could force myself to leave my room. I saw you at school, at the coffee shop, and you know I saw you that night, with Amy.” She shuddered, “I really thought you were going to get in that cab with her. I couldn’t have blamed you if you had.”

  “I didn’t want her. I didn’t want anyone but you. Why didn’t you respond to me that night?” His throat ached as he held back his emotions, “It had been months since I’d heard from you.”

  “I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t risk it. I missed your voice, your touch, everything about you. If I had walked up to you that night, I wouldn’t have been able to walk away, and I still wasn’t sure.”

  “What changed?” It would be stupid not to ask.

  “You changed Rich. I didn’t believe it was possible. But I watched you. I saw it with my own eyes. I was so sure I wasn’t special enough to keep you. But when were together, I felt like the most special person on this entire earth. I didn’t know what it was at the time. I figured it was lust, my hormones getting the best of me. But it was more than that.” She sat up, shifting until she was draped over him and meeting his gaze.

  He swallowed, once again at a loss for words. Licking his lips, he took a leap of faith, “What was it then?”

  Her lids fluttered and closed, a small smile spreading across her face, “It was love Rich. I felt it. When it was gone, I felt the loss of it.”

  “So tell me Angel. I need to hear it.”

  Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, she pressed herself tighter against him, “I love you. Is it too late?”

  Pulling her onto his lap, he pushed her hair back out of her face, making her look at him, “I love you too. You saw my parents. They’ve proven that it’s never too late.”

  “I can’t promise it will be easy.” She whispered.

  “Nothing worth having ever is.” Pulling her face to
his, he kissed her with all he had. Showing her with his mouth how much he had desperately missed her, how much he loved her.

  She pulled away, blushing, “I’ve never had make-up sex before.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?” He froze, “Actually, hold that thought. There may or may not be a bunch of naked pictures on my ceiling.”

  She threw her head back and laughed, “I’ll be looking at you the whole time. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed us.”

  He lifted them both off the couch, her legs wrapping around his waist, “You’ll have to keep quiet.”

  “I’m not making any promises.”

  “Then neither am I.”

  Epilogue

  “Rich, we’re going to be late!” Angie swatted at his hands as he pulled her close, pressing her against the wall of their tiny apartment.

  “What can I say? This maroon graduation gown is making me hot.” He grasped the material in his palms, lifting it up, “I need you.”

  She moaned as his fingers found her center, thrusting against his hand without hesitation, “This is the ugliest color ever.”

  “You’re right, let’s get you naked.” Adjusting his hand, he ripped the thin fabric of her panties, delighted at her gasp of surprise. “When you walk across that stage I want you bare underneath all this.”

  “That’s very improper.” She smiled wickedly, “I like it.”

  Unzipping his jeans he reached inside and freed his hard-on, lifting her, feeling her wrap her legs around him in a movement that felt as natural as breathing. He’d had her like this all over the apartment, in an empty classroom on campus, even once in the coffee shop bathroom. Slipping inside the moist hot heat that he’d already lost himself in twice earlier that day, he groaned, thrusting as he closed his lips around the pulse on her neck, biting her gently.

  They’d done away with condoms months ago and he was oh-so-grateful for that. Feeling her bare against him was the most amazing sensation. No barriers, no worries. After they’d both gotten tested and she began taking birth control they’d ravaged each other every chance they’d gotten. Despite her earlier concerns that he’d get tired of her body, he knew he never would. It was never enough.

  She gripped him with her inner muscles, wrapping her legs tighter around him and lifting her body as she met him stroke for stroke. “Screw graduation, just keep fucking me.” She rasped against his ear, moaning in pleasure.

  “Nope, we’re going to this thing.” He increased the speed and force of his thrusts, “Come on me now and we’ll make it with time to spare.”

  “Who wants to hear the stupid speeches anyway?” She ground out, her eyes rolling back with pleasure.

  Bracing her against the wall he slipped his hand between their bodies, stroking her clit, “Maybe I want to hear them.”

  “Oh fuck, that’s it.” Her nails dug into his shoulders, “You know what I want. You want me to get you all wet, fuck me harder.”

  Needing no further urging, he pounded against her, feeling her muscles tense in preparation for her climax, “I love this. I love you.”

  “Love you too, now shut up and finish me.” She panted.

  “You’re mine, forever.” He let go, emptying himself inside her body as she convulsed around him.

  They made it to the ceremony just in time and when Angie walked across the stage, pausing long enough to find him in the crowd and mouth I love you, he knew without a doubt she was the woman he would marry. Convincing her to agree was going to be so much fun.

  The End

  About the Author

  Dana Love has loved to read since she was able to do so. She decided to take a risk and pursue her dream and hopes you will too, whatever that dream may be. She lives for her two dogs, a bunch of fish, reading and writing, and a good night’s sleep. She enjoys all sorts of romance and hopes you do too. She’d love to hear from you.

  Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/authordanalove

  Email: [email protected]