Fighting For You by Megan Noelle Page A

cheek, rolling over my thumb.
    This was my woman—mine.  There would never come a day that I would have my fill of this feeling.
    “I’m not over it, Danielle.  I want this more than you will ever know.”  I paused at the sight of that breathtaking smile.  Never once had a woman’s smile meant to me what it did when I saw it on her face.
    I grazed my thumb over her swollen mouth and finished my speech. “You just have to give it time.”
    My hand brushed down her hair as she nodded.
    “I have all the time in the world.”
    So do, I, Baby Girl.  So do I.

Chapter Eight
     
    My plan originally consisted of going into my room and getting to sleep much earlier than anyone should.  After that kiss - sleep was a farfetched idea.  The kiss not only energized my sleepy mind, but my body and heart, too.  Even if I sat up until three in the morning and Gabby didn’t come home—it was still a better plan than going to sleep now.  I wanted to hold onto the memory of Corey’s lips against mine, his fingers on my skin and the fire that coursed through my body because of a single touch.  The knowledge that the sensation and chemistry between us was still explosive and undeniable—greatly improved my mood and helped me believe that maybe, just maybe, Corey and I really were meant to be. 
    That our family was meant to be.
    Given my newfound energy, I spent the next few hours cleaning my home.  This time I took a page out of Gabby’s book, blasted music and danced around. The heaviness had finally lifted from my heart, allowing me for the first time in three months to really breathe in fresh air.  I knew how much I missed Corey, but I never truly realized the extent of his impact on my soul.  Now all I wanted was to make up for lost time and get my life back.
    At 3:30 in the morning, I was watching a movie when Gabby poured herself into the house.  A smile was permanently etched into her cheeks.  I gave her a knowing smirk as she motioned to the movie playing in the background.
    “What the hell are you doing awake?”
    “Oh, it’s nothing,” I said, but I just couldn’t hold it back anymore. I was dying to tell someone what happened and who better to tell than my very best friend. “Corey kissed me!” I squealed out. 
    Her jaw dropped open and her eyes bugged out. “Shut up!  When?” She demanded.
    “Tonight!”
    She flopped herself down onto the couch next to me. “No way!  Well, that explains his sudden disappearance.” Gabby’s reaction made me smile, but the slight smirk on her lips made me a little skeptical.
    “What aren’t you telling me?”
    She pursed her lips, the way she always did when she had juicy news that she didn’t want to reveal.  “Gabriella,” I warned in my best scolding tone.
    A big sigh escaped before I got my answer. “Okay. Fine. I may have said something to him.  Which may or may not have led to him suddenly leaving the bar in a hurry.”
    I crossed my arms across my chest and gave her my best scowl.
    “What the hell did you say?”
    This time Gabby’s face was no longer smirking at me.  Instead, she smiled and reached her hand out to touch my rigid arms.
    “I said what you couldn’t.”
    My posture softened. I really don’t know why I ever tried to be mad at her - Gabby’s heart was one of the biggest I’ve ever known and never once had she let me down.
    “Like what?” I pressed, needing to know what was said.
    Gabby shrugged, as if I should already know.  “That you never stopped loving him.” There was a pause. Silence lingered between us while I processed the honesty of her words and she watched my expression change as the information sank in.  After a moment, she opened her mouth and spoke again. “I think he really needed to hear it.”
    I nodded in complete and total agreement. “He absolutely deserves to know.”
    “You just need to remember that, Dani.  The last time you were here, you spent it holding everything back.  Using his love to