I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3) (20 page)

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Preview of
Take Me Now
by Faith Sullivan

Don’t fall in love.

Ivy thought being a reporter-in-training at the Independent Gazette would be her dream summer job. Little did she know, interviewing Eric, a landscaper with a heart of gold, would derail her plans. It turns out Ivy’s boss, Lauren, has been eying his chiseled physique for quite some time.

But at twenty-four, Eric already has a tragic past, one that he is still reeling from. Even though his ordeal turned him into some sort of local celebrity, it’s been a while since he’s shared his bed with anyone. When he comes to Ivy’s rescue out of the blue, it’s not long before the two of them start seeing each other behind Lauren’s back. When they get caught, Ivy’s journey toward a college degree is jeopardized and her relationship with Eric is severely put to the test.

Career versus love? In the end, a shocking turn of events provides Ivy with a revelation she never saw coming.

Prologue
Ivy

He looks at me with such longing in his eyes and it rips me apart inside. He’s everything I ever wanted. That’s why it hurts so much to know that he can never be mine. His devotion belongs to another even if I’m the one he desires. We both live in a shared state of agony but I can’t ask him to be someone he’s not. I fell in love with the honorable man that he is. He gave her his word. Despite what we feel for each other, whatever this is between us can never happen.

I’m about to walk away but he stops me by whispering my name. The yearning in his voice is impossible to ignore but I can’t give in to him. If he cheats on her, he’ll never forgive himself. No matter what I do, it’ll end up driving us apart. Maybe I should be weak and fall into his arms. At least, then I’d have a beautiful memory to hold onto. But if there is any hope of a future between the two of us, falling prey to this temptation would derail any possibility. I refuse to have him hate me later for the pleasure of having his body consume me now.

He calls me back, pleading with me to remain. No one else is here. The door is closed. He can take me right here on the table. His jacket is already off. My fingers could remove his shirt in seconds, exposing his trim torso. He could be on top of me, fully igniting the fire that is running through my veins. He’s putting himself on the line for me, sacrificing everything he believes in for one stolen moment. It’s not enough, even if it seems like it is. We both deserve more.

My resolve falters when he moves closer to me. My body aches for his touch. To place my lips on his is what I’ve dreamed about every night since we met. I can lose myself in his embrace. It’d be like coming home. I’ve waited for him for so long. I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone. We could be so good together. So why does it have to be like this?

His breath catches as he skims his fingers across my face. I close my eyes unable to look at him. I’ve never wanted someone so much in my entire life. My body responds, craving more. His touch is driving me wild as his hand travels through my hair before resting on my waist. Drawing me against his chest, I struggle not to wrap my arms around him. His mouth is pressed to my ear urging me to surrender to him. He thinks he’ll always feel like this about me but he’s wrong. The guilt would overwhelm him in the end.

Using every last ounce of willpower I possess, I release myself from his hold. He groans in protest sliding his fingers through mine to prevent my escape. Raising his fingers to my lips, I kiss each knuckle, imploring him to let me go. Slowly, he relaxes his grip as my hand falls across his chest. With tears streaming down my face, I physically push him away from me. The sorrow radiating from his eyes engulfs me. He has to understand I’d never reject him. It’s all because of the circumstances we find ourselves in but I can already feel him withdrawing from me.

He’s an all or nothing kind of guy. If he’s forced to live without me, he’ll cut every trace of me from his life. It’ll be like what we had never existed and that’s something I’m not strong enough to handle, not yet. My legs tremble and the room starts to spin. I’m shut out of his gaze. He squares his shoulders, determined. He knows what he has to do. I hear him swallow as he attempts to keep his emotions in check. I’m making him do something that goes against everything he feels is right. I’m asking him to make what he considers an unforgivable sacrifice.

But I know him. Giving in to his passion is not what’s good for him. He always stands by those he protects. He never shirks his duty or unburdens himself of his responsibilities. He must still have feelings for her. I have to believe that or I will go insane. I want nothing more than for him to be happy even if it’s without me. I need to know he can go on from this. I can’t be the one holding him back.

I can no longer see his face. He’s almost at the door and I stifle a sob. I can’t lose focus. I have to remain strong for his sake. He’s only doing what I asked him to do. I’m the one sending him away. I grab onto the side of the table willing myself to remain upright. This is it. I’m allowing the man that I love to leave me for another woman. It’s my choice but I’m doing it for him. He has to know that.

He lingers and it’s almost more than I can take. He’s within my reach but he’s already so far away. It’s a kind of torture I did not prepare myself for. With every passing second, I’m losing more of him until they’ll be nothing left to hold onto. My determination crumbles and I sink to the floor unleashing a fresh round of sobs.

He sighs, pausing on the threshold. I know he wants nothing more than to turn around and comfort me. It’s tearing him up to listen to me cry. My outward expression of grief is the last straw. It’s more than he can handle. He slams the door, leaving me a huddled mess with my face buried in the rough fibers of the carpet.

With his departure, he’s taken everything I have to give. I have nothing left. He’s all I’ll ever want. If the universe is kind, I pray that somehow he’ll find a way back to me. I’ll never give up on our love and I hope neither will he.