has never been a woman I have desired more than you. Never. Okay?”
Damn. Why did the man have to be so perceptive? How did he know what she was thinking? He wasn’t lying though. She felt the evidence of his desire and saw the truth of his words in his eyes. It was good to be wanted. She nodded her head.
“I know you’re scared, baby. I can feel you trembling. I swear to God I’m not going to hurt you. Try to trust me. You did once. Try and let go. I’ll catch you. I promise. I’ll always catch you.”
“It’s not that easy. I’m not sure I can. So much has happened and I’m not the same person you knew and I have Lilly to think about too. It’s too complicated.”
Ethan nodded. “I get it. We’ve both changed and that’s to be expected. You’ve been through a lot, but, Jules, so have I. You’re not the only one who’s taking a chance. The last few years have been hell for me and I don’t want to revisit them any time soon. I know we still have a lot to deal with, don’t think I’m fooled. But we’ve got time. Why don’t we take it one day at a time and see where this leads to? No pressure. We were once good, no great together. Let’s not try to define this, put boundaries around it, or let the past poison the future. Let’s see where it leads. Okay?”
Julia sighed. Ethan was no fool. He knew she hadn’t told him the full truth and he wasn’t going to pressure her or rush her for more of an explanation. She was relieved. This was the Ethan from her childhood, patient and kind, but for how long? Sooner or later she was going to have to tell him everything and the truth was going to tear him up and most likely tear them apart. Could she risk her heart again knowing with almost complete certainty it would break when the truth surfaced?
She didn’t have to think for long. She would always say yes to Ethan. Pure and simple, she wanted this man. She always had and she probably always would. He was it for her, her other half. She was terrified of her feelings for him. Going slow, taking it one day at a time sounded better than the alternative, life without him.
“Okay, one day at a time, but no promises.”
“All right, beautiful. Have it your way. Now go dress, woman. I’m starving.”
Chapter Seven
As Ethan waited for Julia to dress, he paced the length of the family room trying to control his anger at the moron Julia was once married to. He didn’t need Julia to tell him all the sordid details of their marriage to know the asshole had done a number on her. Each time she spoke of him, her whole demeanor changed. She was nervous and unsure of herself. That wasn’t the Julia he knew. Something changed her from the strong, confident girl she once been was, to this skittish, hesitant creature who built walls around herself and her child. Her confidence and self-worth had taken a hell of a hit.
True, she had a tough beginning, but she’d rallied. After years of Ella therapy, she learned to hold her head up high and embrace life for all its worth. She blossomed into a smart, sassy, self-assured girl who knew who she was and what she wanted from life and didn’t care what anyone thought of her. She surrounded herself with a select group of people who she trusted and loved and who loved her back with the same zeal.
Beside him, only Ella and Aimee knew of her traumatic early childhood and apparently it had been a lot worse than she initially shared with him. He wondered if she was still plagued by nightmares. Once upon a time he’d been cocky thinking he knew all there was to know about Julia. Then it all fell apart and for years he questioned everything about their relationship.
Julia was a complicated woman whose past had a much bigger and deeper impact on her than his teenaged mind had understood. On top of that, she married a jerk who managed to undo some of the hard work Ella had done. So much had changed. Now she kept her head down and ploughed her way through life. Every now and
Damn. Why did the man have to be so perceptive? How did he know what she was thinking? He wasn’t lying though. She felt the evidence of his desire and saw the truth of his words in his eyes. It was good to be wanted. She nodded her head.
“I know you’re scared, baby. I can feel you trembling. I swear to God I’m not going to hurt you. Try to trust me. You did once. Try and let go. I’ll catch you. I promise. I’ll always catch you.”
“It’s not that easy. I’m not sure I can. So much has happened and I’m not the same person you knew and I have Lilly to think about too. It’s too complicated.”
Ethan nodded. “I get it. We’ve both changed and that’s to be expected. You’ve been through a lot, but, Jules, so have I. You’re not the only one who’s taking a chance. The last few years have been hell for me and I don’t want to revisit them any time soon. I know we still have a lot to deal with, don’t think I’m fooled. But we’ve got time. Why don’t we take it one day at a time and see where this leads to? No pressure. We were once good, no great together. Let’s not try to define this, put boundaries around it, or let the past poison the future. Let’s see where it leads. Okay?”
Julia sighed. Ethan was no fool. He knew she hadn’t told him the full truth and he wasn’t going to pressure her or rush her for more of an explanation. She was relieved. This was the Ethan from her childhood, patient and kind, but for how long? Sooner or later she was going to have to tell him everything and the truth was going to tear him up and most likely tear them apart. Could she risk her heart again knowing with almost complete certainty it would break when the truth surfaced?
She didn’t have to think for long. She would always say yes to Ethan. Pure and simple, she wanted this man. She always had and she probably always would. He was it for her, her other half. She was terrified of her feelings for him. Going slow, taking it one day at a time sounded better than the alternative, life without him.
“Okay, one day at a time, but no promises.”
“All right, beautiful. Have it your way. Now go dress, woman. I’m starving.”
Chapter Seven
As Ethan waited for Julia to dress, he paced the length of the family room trying to control his anger at the moron Julia was once married to. He didn’t need Julia to tell him all the sordid details of their marriage to know the asshole had done a number on her. Each time she spoke of him, her whole demeanor changed. She was nervous and unsure of herself. That wasn’t the Julia he knew. Something changed her from the strong, confident girl she once been was, to this skittish, hesitant creature who built walls around herself and her child. Her confidence and self-worth had taken a hell of a hit.
True, she had a tough beginning, but she’d rallied. After years of Ella therapy, she learned to hold her head up high and embrace life for all its worth. She blossomed into a smart, sassy, self-assured girl who knew who she was and what she wanted from life and didn’t care what anyone thought of her. She surrounded herself with a select group of people who she trusted and loved and who loved her back with the same zeal.
Beside him, only Ella and Aimee knew of her traumatic early childhood and apparently it had been a lot worse than she initially shared with him. He wondered if she was still plagued by nightmares. Once upon a time he’d been cocky thinking he knew all there was to know about Julia. Then it all fell apart and for years he questioned everything about their relationship.
Julia was a complicated woman whose past had a much bigger and deeper impact on her than his teenaged mind had understood. On top of that, she married a jerk who managed to undo some of the hard work Ella had done. So much had changed. Now she kept her head down and ploughed her way through life. Every now and
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