Brad woke before Bre and before her alarm. It was still dark and he couldn't see her, but he could feel her. She hadn't rolled away from him or woken during the night once she finally drifted off.
He had told her he was going to treat her with respect, but he almost hadn't. If she hadn't shut him down, he wouldn't have. He felt badly about that but he didn't feel badly that now she believed what he said he felt about her. He could see it. She got it. That alone was worth the indiscretion but he didn't want her feeling guilty. If she hadn't shut him down, she wouldn't be the woman he thought she was.
He realized now his feelings had been building for her for a very long time, but had he not been in a position to be alone with her long enough to fully realize it, he may have never acted on it.
She held a very special place in his heart. No, he wasn't wildly in love with her from day one like with Paige, but she had always intrigued him, and he had always admired her. His attraction to her had evolved so slowly and steadily he hadn't even noticed.
He had been half joking when he told Paige during the stipulations of him staying with her that he got a free pass to have sex with someone else, but now he was thankful he had said it. If Bre ever caved, he would cash that pass in no question and no regret.
He breathed in her hair and felt it's softness against his face. He felt the pressure of her trusting head on his chest, and he gently trailed his fingertips along the back of her hand on his stomach.
She was pure goodness and kindness, trustworthy, and true. She shone with an inner light of positivity and warmth. She was steadfast, level-headed, and dependable. Because she was all of those things, she got overlooked, brushed aside, counted on more than she should be. People always assumed Bre could handle whatever it was, that she didn't mind, that she was okay, so she talked herself into those beliefs as well. For her to tell Brad she wasn't okay was huge for her, and he knew it. She needed him, and he was going to help her in any way he could.
She startled when her alarm went off, and he reached across her to grab it off the nightstand and shut it off. He paused, hovering over her, then said, "Morning, beautiful", as he always did to Paige, and kissed her soft forehead.
"Morning", she said quietly and shyly.
He snapped on the lamp sitting on the nightstand and chuckled as she groaned and covered her head.
He gently moved pieces of hair off her face and tried to look at her though she had her head covered with her arm.
"What are you doing? Let me look at you", he said, amused.
"No", she said from under her arm. He forced it away regardless. Her cheeks were pink. She didn't want him to see her blushing?
"Why?", he asked.
"Because when you say such perfect things and bend over backward to treat me like a queen, it makes it really hard for me to even want to try reconciling with my husband", she blurted out, cheeks flaming but not breaking his gaze with her kind brown eyes.
"I'm only speaking the truth and treating you how you deserve to be treated", he said, laying his hand on her flaming cheek.
"Well, I have never been treated like this before", she said quietly. "I simply don't understand how Paige could have done what she did to you. You're incredible. I would be so thankful every day of my life to be treated like this".
Again, he felt his heart break for her. Steve and whoever else came before him were fucking idiots.
"Do you want to reconcile with Steve?", he asked.
YOU ARE READING
The Neverending Hangover
Romance*Second in the Fire Whiskey series* 'I had been amazed at the connection Brad and I had, and our connection was inexplicable, but this with Rev was something else. It was different but just as impressive. Was I cursed or blessed to have two amazing...
