Noah's Journey (Sawyer Brothers #3) by C. A. Harms Page A

face within inches of hers. “She understands we’ll never get back together. I made that clear. You have my word, Alena.”
    She scanned my face with her gaze. I couldn’t gauge her mood. Suddenly, she stepped back, trying to remove herself from my hold, her confused eyes focused on my neck. Her body stiffened in my hold, and she pressed her palm against my chest and pushed me away firmly.
    “That story was almost believable,” she said in a whisper. “But next time, make sure you clean the lipstick off your neck and shirt before you attempt to convince me that she knows you two are through.”
    Panic rushed through me as I tried to remember how in the hell I could have lipstick on my collar. Then it hit me. “Shit, no, it’s not like that.”
    Alena’s shoulders sagged in defeat, as if she knew I would say that and she had given up.
    I wouldn’t let her give up.
    “When I went to get Austin earlier, she was gone. She’d lied to her parents and said I changed plans. But when her dad found out and told her how ridiculous it was to keep Austin from me, Stacey broke down.” I took another step toward Alena, bringing our bodies closer together once again. “Baby, I swear to you, it was nothing more than her finally giving in to the fact she can’t win. That for once she has no control over me.”
    Alena avoided my eyes.
    “I know all this crazy isn’t what you signed up for when you thought of me, but I hope like hell you understand what I’m about to say. I just need you to believe I have no intentions of ever hurting you, Len. I’m just trying to get this right, for my son and for you. The rest will have to fall into place, because I know who I want to be with.” I placed my hands on each side of her face, forcing her to look at me. “Please believe me. I want you here, with me and my family. Just give Stacey and her parents time to see how happy Austin is here, and then they’ll be gone and we’ll go on with our day as planned.”
    “Are you sure I’m not the reason you can’t give her what she wants? Because I don’t ever want to be the reason Austin doesn’t have his family.”
    Her question threw me. “Absolutely not,” I assured her. “Austin has a family, sweetheart, and you are part of that family.”
    My chest tightened as her eyes teared up.
    “I can say without a doubt in my mind that regardless of meeting you, there still would be no Stacey and me. We ended a long time ago. My eyes are solely set on a sweet brunette.”
    She smiled, and a burst of laughter fell from her lips. “You are so cheesy,” she said through her giggle. “But adorable at the same time.”
    “Will you stay?” I asked, and she nodded. She slid her hand up my chest and around my neck and gently pulled, indicating she wanted me closer, so I gave in to her need. I placed my lips to hers, and we shared a sweet, gentle kiss. I hoped more than anything that I had laid her doubts about us to rest. I wanted, no, I needed her to understand I wanted to be with her.
    “Well, it appears my son knows how to ease a girl’s worries.” I jumped at the sound of my mother’s voice. I looked back over my shoulder and found her smiling from ear to ear.
    “Hey, Momma,” I replied as a smirk covered my lips.
    I turned back to face Alena and found her face was red with embarrassment. “Now don’t let her make you go all shy on me. She’s eating this shit up, babe.” I winked. “She’s been waiting for years for me to find the one woman that makes me grovel for forgiveness.”
    Alena leaned in and rested her forehead against my chest. I felt her take in a deep breath, and I began to chuckle. “Come on, sweetheart, we got a little guy waiting on us to take him out for a ride.”
    She lifted her head and looked up at me in horror. “But I already went for a ride.”
    “Yeah.” I nodded, smiling down at her. “Now we’re going on another one.” I leaned forward and kissed her softly one last time before pulling her