Torrid Affair(101)

“Hello,” I muffled.

“Are you almost here?” Yve asked in her most innocent voice.

Holding the phone between my ear and shoulder, I opened the door. “I’m leaving now, why? Do you need me to pick up something?”

“Uh . . .” She paused and I heard loud breathing. “Can you take the long way?”

I scoffed. “Are you having sex?” I barked into the phone as I slammed the front door shut.

Yve giggled into the phone. “There’ll be a sock on the door.” She laughed and hung up the phone.

My mind was so focused on my promiscuous roommate that I didn't spot him until I was down the four steps. I stopped abruptly, and the box I was carrying slipped to the ground. Paint splattered over the concrete sidewalk.

Nate was drenched from the rain. Once I gathered my equilibrium, I ran toward him. “You’re soaking wet,” I muttered. Crying, I threw my hands around his neck and he grunted with pain. “What are you doing here?”

He pulled back and his hand brushed away my tears. “Ten years ago, I let you walk out of my life. I didn't follow you then, but I'm not making the same mistake again.” His lips captured mine, and any chill I’d felt left my body.

Pulling away breathlessly, I whispered against his lips, “We’re going to get sick.”

He chuckled and led me toward a car. He held open the passenger door and walked around toward the driver’s side. When he sat back, I leaped forward.

“You came all this way?” I kissed his cheek.

“I’d go to the moon for you.” He grasped my hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m sorry I took so long to get here.” He paused and inhaled slowly. “I needed to serve Delaney with divorce papers first.” He licked his lips and smiled up at me. “You make everything right. I can't live without you, Brielle. I refuse to live without you. I may be ten years too late, but I'm coming after you.”

“I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you more.” Nate placed a half kiss on my lips.

“How did you get here?”

“I flew. When I didn’t see you at the hospital, I knew something was wrong. He paused. “I’m so sorry about Julian, Brie.”

“I’m sorry. He was your brother.”

He kissed my lips once more. “I want you to know that I asked Delaney for a divorce. After Warren gave me your letter and I knew you were gone, I had to come after you. It's been a long time coming.”

“And Caleb?”

Nate’s fingers slid down my cheek. “Do you think there's room in your heart for him?” I nodded. “Even though he's not mine?”

I gasped. “You know?”

“Since the day he was born.” He shrugged. “But I was married, and you were with Julian, and he was a child in need of a father. Even though I'm not his biological father, it doesn't make him any less my son.” My heart doubled in size with every word he spoke. “Austin has filed for custody, and that will be a headache, but we’ll deal with it.”

“You knew it was Austin?”

“It didn’t take much to put it together. Caleb looks a lot like him, and there were rumors after Delaney got pregnant that she slept with him. But I thought it was a rumor.” Nate kissed my lips once more. “I want to put this all behind us. I want you for me—always.”

I hugged him. “I never want to lose you.”

“You never will. We can run into the sunset together.”

I chuckled. “Is that your big plan?”

“Yes. When I kiss you, you’ll kick your feet up and we will hold hands as we run toward the sunset.” Nate framed my face. “Happily-ever-afters do exist. We’re living proof of that.”

Shaking my head, I tried to hide the joy on my face. I couldn’t believe we actually had a chance at making this work.

“Do you love me?” Nate quipped.

“I never knew it was possible to love a man as much as I love you.”

“How much?” Nate teased me with his lips.

“More than I can hold in my heart.”

Three months later.

According to the paternity test, Austin was indeed Caleb’s father.

With the custody battle for Caleb between Nate, Delaney, and Austin, Nate had to spend most of his time in Charlotte. It also meant that we had to travel back and forth to see one another. Sometimes we each drove six hours and met at a hotel just so we could spend the night curled in each other’s arms. We stayed hushed about our relationship until the dust settled and the judge made his final decision.

Nate had rented an apartment near his old home so he was close to Caleb. He wanted his son’s life to change as little as possible. It was hard when there was a pending divorce and a three-way custody battle, but Nate managed to juggle it all.