Loving His Forever Read Online Free PDF Page B

room floor. They come less frequent now as I’m at ease around Ethan. He works every day, and I’m home alone. That gives me time to think about things and come to terms with everything that has happened, making me feel a little more at peace about it all each day.
    I don’t want to live like this anymore. I want to have a life, a job, and so much more. I crave it with every bit of my being. I’m not over what happened to me by a long shot; it haunts me every moment of the day. My dreams and flashbacks consume my every thought, but I want to try. Something I have never done before.
    Ethan may have a part to play in this. He made me realize that not all men are bad, and he never once gave me the idea he wanted to hurt me. The exact opposite, really. I feel safe and content around him. Something I can’t make sense of, nor will I try to decipher.
    Tonight, we are going to dinner. My nerves are shot at the thought. Exposed. But I can do this. I walk into the bathroom to slip on white skinny jeans and a red flowy top that clings slightly to my curves. Pulling the top up, I make sure no cleavage is showing. I don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea.
    I shouldn’t have to feel like I have to hide for the fear of...of getting assaulted. Ethan won’t allow anything to happen to me... I hope... Shaking my head, I busy myself putting on a light amount of makeup.
    After I’m finished getting ready, I walk downstairs and veg on the couch. Ethan has the morning shift this week. I bring my hands up to my mouth nervously, afraid of what will happen tonight. This is the first time in years I’ve been out anywhere.
    I was on the streets not too long ago, and now I sleep in a warm bed and live in a house with plenty of food. I was so used to going hungry, scrounging every single bite and worrying when I would get the next meal. It’s hell. The people on drugs are so unpredictable. They can snap in a split second; all they worry about is getting their next fix.
    The more I think about the life I had, the more I want to change it. Women who are abused feel like they have nowhere to go to feel safe. They need a safe haven. Even if they have a home, money, etc., that doesn’t guarantee a safe place.
    “I’m home, Angel. Let me go take a quick shower and I’ll be ready to go,” Ethan yells through the quiet house, making me jump in fright. Holding my pounding heart, I lean back into the couch.
    Ethan pops around the corner in his police uniform. My breath catches in my throat at how good-looking he is as I watch him run up the stairs.
    Gulping, I try to relax myself and not think about the what ifs. The what ifs of when my stalker will find me and what will happen if he does.
    Turning back toward the TV, I watch ‘Catfish’ until Ethan comes back down the stairs. He’s in jeans that hug him in all the right places and a black T-shirt that hugs his chest, biceps, and broad shoulders. His tattooed arms bulge as they move. His piercing, green eyes take me in as I stand up from the couch. Rubbing my hands together nervously, I slowly walk over until I stand in front of him and meet his eyes. I’m not scared of him, well, not anymore. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have already. Ethan has done everything humanly possible to let me know he won’t hurt me, that he’ll do the exact opposite: protect me.
    “You ready, love?” He reaches for and grabs my hand with a small smile on his face.
    Biting my lip, I nod slightly. He tugs on my hand and leads me to the front door. This is it. It’s been years since I’ve been out to eat. Ethan’s house has become a comfort and safety net. I’m going so far out of my comfort zone.
    He locks the door behind him but never let’s go of my hand as he leads me to his big, red truck. His police car is parked in the driveway beside the truck. I look at my surroundings nervously as Ethan opens the truck door and helps me up inside. But he doesn’t close the door, so I turn to look at him. He