On Solid Ground: Sequel to in Too Deep Read Online Free PDF

here.” He pointed to my forehead. “And every hurt in here.” He gently circled his finger over my chest where my heart beat then scooted down to kiss me lightly in that same spot.
    “Oh, Jake. I am so sorry I’m such a mess.”
    “Gracie, you’re still healing. You’re going to have your up days and your down days.”
    “Sometimes I think you’d be better off—”
    “Gracie! I’m not going anywhere.” His voice was tense but gentle. “Baby girl, when are you going to get that through your head? I’m here for the long haul. You hold my heart inside yours. Listen, I love you! And that love isn’t something you have to work to keep. It’s not something you can lose. You can’t earn my love; you already have it...all of it. You can’t lose my love because it’s given to you unconditionally. It knows no end. We can go to the depths of Hell and back to piece your heart back together, but
nothing
can negatively affect my love for you or my passion to see your smile and hear your laugh. I live to love you, Gracie. This is it for me.
You
are it. I’m not going anywhere.”
    I stared into the eyes of this beautiful gift of a man. Jake and I held each other’s hearts in a way I didn’t even know existed. I was so blessed and so thankful. But hearing those words filled me with guilt as I remembered the conversation Becki and I had earlier. How could I ever even think of walking away from the man who’d saved me?
    When I let myself think about the last year of my life, healing seemed like an insurmountable task. I knew I couldn’t just walk away from what happened and be okay. I knew I was going to need help working through the shit I was still carrying because of Noah. For God’s sake, I hadn’t even figured out what I was going to do about the sex tape I knew was making its way through the Sigma Chi house. I shuddered at the thought of them watching what was supposed to be private. Navigating my way back to who I used to be would be hard enough, but trying to fake that everything was fine to make my relationship with Jake smooth was starting to wear me down. And the guilt from that alone was strangling me.
    “Thank you, Jake. I have no words for how much I love you.”
    “Well, the feeling is mutual.”
    I lay in his arms and tried to stuff all the insecurities and worries deeper, but they wouldn’t go. I needed to take my mind off everything Noah. And I had no energy left for another go-round with Mr. Sex, whose body seemed undaunted and ready to go again.
    “Can we play Buckshot?” I blurted out, my voice too loud for the early hour of the day.
    “Can I go first?” He smiled.
    Jake and I had coined the name for our silly game of Buckshot Questions from the idea that buckshot from a gun sprays in all directions. It felt like we had been playing this question game for a decade, I had no idea when it started that we would continue to come up with enough questions to last us the few years we’d actually been playing.
    “Whenever you’re ready.” I took another deep breath as his arms encircled me and felt a little more tension leave my body.
    “Why did Noah call?”
    “He told me he was coming here next weekend. He asked if we could get together to talk.” Yuck.
We
were naked and
his
name was spoken.
    “My turn. Did you fake it, last night?” I pretended I was serious.
    “Really? Gracie, guys can’t fake it!” We both giggled and he hugged me tight. “Hmm, let’s see. What is something you’d like to learn?” Jake rubbed my hair off my face as he spoke.
    “Well, I used to take guitar lessons before I transferred here, but with the move and all, I just stopped playing. I’d love to pick up where I left off and be able to
really
play.”
    “Do you have a guitar?”
    “Hey. It’s my turn, cheater.” I giggled.
    Jake kissed me lightly on my open mouth. “Oh, right, sorry.”
    “What talent do you have that I don’t know about?” As soon as it was out of my mouth, I knew where he