Two Steps Behind

Part 20

 Eddie's hand was wrapped around hers as he walked her up to her mom's door. He was still trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened back at the lake. They had sat on the beach for hours, talking about everything and nothing and then sometimes just sitting in completely comfortable silence together. He wanted to pinch himself to prove this was all real.

When she had gotten married, he had resigned himself to losing her. He had watched her vow to love another man for the rest of her life, and it had broken him. He hadn't been sure if he would ever recover from the heartbreak, but he had promised that he would let her be happy. He would never share his true feelings with her because she had made her choice, and it wasn't him.

Had he known that if he'd offered her the choice, she would have walked out of the church with him, he would have run in there screaming at the top of his lungs that he loved her. He would have jumped up when the pastor asked for any objections and announced to the entire church how he felt about her. He would have told her that she was making a mistake because that wasn't how it was supposed to be. It was supposed to be him and her, forever.

Eddie knew he needed to take things slow. Everything in him wanted to take her home with him right now and do all that he had ever dreamed of with her. Kissing her felt like coming home. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, to intimately know every inch of her from the inside out. But she was hurting, traumatized, and he didn't want to push her too far. He didn't want to risk doing anything to jeopardize this because this was all he had ever wanted. She was all he had ever wanted, and if it took her years to be comfortable enough to give herself to him completely, then he would wait because she was worth every damn minute.

They paused on the porch, and he took her face gently in his hands. It was amazing that he got to do this. He didn't want to say goodbye. He wanted this night to go on forever. He wanted to hold her in his arms until she fell asleep. He wanted to wake up to her beautiful face in the morning. He was frightened that if he went home without her, when he woke up, it would all have been a dream, just like so many other nights had been.

"I love you," he whispered, his lips next to her ear and he felt her body shiver under his hands as his breath brushed against her skin. Jesus, the things she was doing to him right now. He had to remind himself to take it slow. "I love you. I love you. I love you. Did you know that I love you? In case you didn't already know, I do. I love you. God, it is never going to get old being able to say that to you."

Elizabeth giggled, the sound like music to his ears. He loved making her laugh and smile. He wanted to spend the rest of his life finding reasons for her to do both. She had spent enough time sad and crying. He just wanted to make her as happy as he could for the rest of time.

"I love you, too," she replied, smiling, her hands resting on his chest. "I know we used to say it before but it's different now. It feels so strange just being able to say it to you the way I've always wanted to when I've spent so long trying to hide it."

"Well, you don't have to hide it anymore. I know I'm not going to," he stated. "I am going to scream it to anyone and everyone. I'll stand in the middle of town with a bell. I'll hang a banner from the front of the store, Eddie Munson loves Elizabeth Beck, for the whole world to see. I am going to say it so much you're going to get tired of it."

Elizabeth shook her head at him but she was beaming from ear to ear. He pulled her against him, gently kissing her and her lips instantly responded to his, her hands moving to tangle in his hair and he couldn't help the quiet moan that escaped his lips. He regrettably pulled back before he did something he might regret.

"You have work tomorrow?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, but I don't go in until eleven. I work the mid-shift until six."