(Complete) When Tim Burke meets Julie at a party, she isn't impressed. When they see each other again, Julie decides to give him a chance. As Julie faces burdens and sorrow in her own life, Tim and his family provide the support and love she needs...
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He looked down at the girl of his dreams and frowned. She had lost weight. How had he allowed things to go on for so long? He should have made her understand in January, but he was hurt by her rejection and haunted by their kiss. He promised he wouldn't kiss her, but she had better want to kiss him or he may break his word.
Clare looked at him. "I'm sorry. I know I hurt you. I was just protecting myself."
He sighed. "I would never hurt you. You need to believe I would never let it happen."
"But, it has."
"Only because you ran away." He never expected she would run from him. He thought she would fall into his arms.
"You did too you've been gone for more than a month." Her voice trailed off.
"I wasn't running away. I went searching."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I did. I found a lot of things, including snow."
He smiled and the grip on his heart eased because her smile copied his.
"Snow? Were you skiing? Do you ski?"
He shook his head. Did she? Maybe he would need to learn. They had moved and were both sitting on her sofa. He took her hand and was relieved she didn't pull it away. Her hand was small in his, but he knew it was competent and skilled in surgery. He would love to see her long fingers suturing.
"I knew I could make you promises but you wouldn't believe me. The only way to prove just how serious I am about you... about us was to make it happen." She looked confused. "I went and found a new place to live and work. Clare, I am going to move with you."
Her jaw dropped. When she closed it, the protests began. "You can't move! Your life and friends are here."
"You're my life."
"But we aren't even dating."
"That's something we need to change."
"What about your family?"
"I can visit them." He was a grown man, but he was afraid to tell his mother he was moving across country. "Maybe you could come meet them and we could tell them together."
Clare's eyes grew wide with shock or possibly fear. Fear was the accurate emotion, he decided.
Instead, she changed the subject. "Did you really go to Maine?"
He smiled. "Did you know LLBean is opened three-sixty-five. There aren't any locks on the doors because it never closes." She laughed as she nodded. "I needed a warm coat or two." He had gone overboard at the store. There were sweaters and coats and flannel lined jeans and boots. He charmed his real estate agent to keep a box of clothes for him until the purchase of his new condo went through. He should have just rented, but he wanted to prove to Clare, he was serious.
"I bought a condo in Portland. I assume you'll be living with your parents... at least to start. It's close to the hospital so... I just thought it made sense."
She nodded and squinted her eyes because they were full of tears. "What about work?"
"I've been working on finding clients. I want to work from home and make my own schedule. I'm done with the rat race. I may need to travel from time to time. "
"You really did all this for me? Why?"
"You never understood, but the minute I met you, I knew you were who I'd been searching for. Thanks to the fur ball, I found the girl of my dreams. When you talked about your lake, your entire face lit up which was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."
She blushed but didn't look away. "I was willing to bide my time and wait out what's his name, not that I liked it. I could compete with him, but I could never compete with your family. I may not feel as close to mine, but I love you do with yours. It means family is important to you and someday I want us to be a family... but first I would need to meet your father and..."
"And my brothers."
"Them too." He smiled because he really wanted to meet them. He stopped short of searching them out. He found the house on the lake and even in the snow it looked more amazing than she described.
He looked into her beautiful eyes. He swallowed because his mouth was dry. "I know I promised I wouldn't kiss you, but I was hoping maybe you would."
She lurched forward and threw her arms around him. He held her close. He wasn't certain who kissed who, but it didn't matter. It was the best kiss of his entire life. It was better than the one he stole that had kept him awake for months. Her lips were soft as silk and tasted sweet. It must be what nectar tasted like.
Eventually they separated. "Sorry."
"For what? I have dreamed of it for a long time."
His lips were still chapped from the cold. It was still cold when he left even though it was the end of March. When he commented everyone laughed at him.
"I meant for my chapped lips." She laughed. His face tensed. "Have you really dreamed of kissing me?" She nodded. "I have never been a jealous man, but I hated he had you. I wanted all your kisses and well all of you to be mine not his."
"I was never his. He was there when I needed someone. We understood each other's schedules, and we helped each other relax, but it wasn't anything close to love."
"I've had a similar relationship. I think it's why I knew it would run its course plus I knew I was going to Maine and he wasn't."
"You... you bought me my Christmas week!"
He smiled. "What good is money if you can't use it to get what you need? You needed your family, and so I was just glad I could make it happen."
"Toby hates me."
She looked hurt. "Yeah, I know. It will probably get worse when we tell him I'm moving."
"We?"
"Yes we! We'll tell them we're in love first and..."
Clare pushed on his chest. "In love!"
He felt that grip on his heart again. He hadn't meant to let that slip out. "I love you. I only hope you love me in return."
"More than I knew was possible. That's why I knew if I kissed you again I would never leave. Choosing between you and my family was the hardest thing I've ever done."
"That's all my fault. I should have told you I would never make you choose. I wouldn't have bought your ice cream if I wasn't willing to follow you to the ends of the earth and back."
"We're only going to Maine." She teased, but he silenced her with his lips.
"What do you say? Do you want to go ruin Toby's day?"
She shook her head. "Not yet."
She kissed him and it was even better than the last. "Keep this up and I won't be a gentleman."
"God, I hope not! I will not have you follow me cross-country if you suck in bed. I have my standards."
He laughed. "I promise you I don't suck, but I also don't sleep with a girl on the first date. So let's go ruin my best friend's life."
