Searching for Harmony (Boston Love 1)

Run. Run to him, Harmony.

“Preston,” I whispered as I took off running again. Preston smiled and stood there, waiting. Not even slowing down, I slammed into him as he wrapped his arms around me.

“You came for me,” I cried as I buried my face in his neck. “I love you, I love you, I love you so much. I’m so sorry I ran. Please forgive me.”

Preston wrapped his arms around me tighter, not saying a word. Please don’t let him hate me. Then a terrible thought came to my mind. What if he wasn’t looking for me? My heart would shatter into a million pieces if that was true.

“Harmony, baby, I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”

Crying even harder, I wrapped my arms around his neck tighter. “Please don’t ever let me go. Please, Preston!”

“Never, baby, I’m never letting you go ever again.”

It felt as if Preston held me forever before I slid down his body. He placed his hands on the sides of my face as he wiped my tears away. Preston pressed his lips to mine. “Harmony,” he whispered as he kissed around my lips, my face, along my jaw, and on my neck. Reaching my ear, he whispered, “I was so lost without you.”

My heart stopped momentarily, knowing that I had hurt Preston. My chin trembled as I looked into his beautiful green eyes. Opening my mouth to talk, I felt sick. Closing my eyes, I drew in a shaky breath.

“Please forgive me, Preston. I was so scared and the thought of losing you was more than I could bear.” Shaking my head, I wiped my tears away. “But now I know I’d rather have you in my life than to live this life without you in it. My life is complete with you…Without you…I’m nothing.”

Preston’s eyes searched my face. “Harmony, I want everything with you. Marriage, kids, rocking chairs on porches out in the middle of the country. I want to own your heart forever and I promise you, I’ll never give you a reason to run again.”

My heart melted as my stomach fluttered. “Preston, I want all of that with you, too, and it wasn’t you that made me run. It was my own fears and insecurities that I let creep into my head. Trey’s parents stopped by that day, the day of the fire.”

Nodding, he whispered, “I know. They came by to apologize the day you left.”

Rolling my eyes, I looked out over the water. “As soon as they left, I went to you. You were the first person I thought of. The first person I needed to get to. The cab driver was stuck in traffic and when I found out it was a fire, I guessed your station would be there. And then…” My voice cracked. I stopped to take a cleansing breath and calm my heart down.

Pulling me to him, Preston held me tightly. “Harmony, I know. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you, but I promise you won’t ever have to worry about that again.”

Pulling back, I narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you mean I won’t ever have to worry about that again?”

Dread filled my body as the realization of what Preston was about to say hit me.

“I’m no longer working at the fire station. I quit.”

Shaking my head, I grabbed Preston’s coat. “No! Preston, I don’t want you giving up something you love doing. I swear to you, I won’t ever run again. I’m not going to say I won’t worry, but please don’t do that. Don’t walk away from something you’ve always dreamed of.”

Smiling, Preston ran the back of his hand down my face. “Harmony, you’re the only thing I’ve ever dreamed of. Besides, I’ve already lined up another job.”

Butterflies danced in my stomach as Preston’s words soaked in. You’re the only thing I’ve ever dreamed of.

I prayed I wasn’t dreaming and that Preston was really here. Smiling, I asked, “Do you have to get back to your new job right away?”

Shaking his head, he gave me a naughty smile. “Nope.”

Reaching up on my toes, I brushed my lips across Preston’s as I bit his lower lip. “Good, because we have a lot of time to make up for.”

Giving me a naughty smile, Preston said, “Please tell me your place is close by.”

Smiling, I giggled as Preston kissed the tip of my nose. “The Hotel Nantucket is where I’m staying.”

Preston pulled his head back and looked at me with a stunned expression. “You’re shitting me. I’ve got a room there.”

Fate certainly has a way of working things out, and I was positive destiny had played its hand with Preston and me.

Taking my hands in his, Preston gave me the most gorgeous smile as my heartbeats increased tenfold. “It’s me and you forever, Harmony. There’s no way I could ever let you go…even if I wanted to. I’ll spend every day giving everything I have to you and only you.”

Tears built up as I stared into Preston’s eyes. I needed to do one last thing so that I could finally let go of the past to move on to the future.