Unmasked (New Adult Romance) (The Unmasked Series) (20 page)

Preston took her hand and wrapped his arm around
her shoulder.

"And you?" Her dad said. "What about you? What
kind of made up feelings do you have for my daughter?"

"Dad!"

"Sorry. I'm sorry, Mr. Webb. I'm just on edge."

"I completely understand. And, call me Preston. I
think I'm finished with all the Mr. this and Mr. that business. It's just not
me."

Ryan Barton's stare could have killed a goat.
"Your feelings for my daughter?" he said.

"Wow, this is harder for me than I thought. This
has been an education harder than any of the tutors I had, that's for sure.
Before her – before you, Alyssa – I never had anyone to talk to. Not really. My
dad was always busy, mom was gone, but you know how that goes."

Both Lys and Ryan nodded, not taking their eyes
off the scarred man with the tears in his eyes.

"But, no, with you, I feel... Well, you keep
saying how it felt 'real' when I took my silk off and let you see," he slid the
back of a finger down his scar. "Well, when I hold your hands, or feel your
warmth beside me, or see your eyes or your smile or hear your laugh, I just
kind of go to pieces."

When Ryan looked back to his daughter, tears were
streaming down her face and she put her hands on either of Preston's cheeks. "Me
too," she said, sniffing. "Me too. I still can't believe this is real."

Hands on hers, Preston kissed Alyssa lightly once,
then harder, both of them shaking, just a little bit.

"Well, if that's what the both of you want, I'll
figure out some way to get ahold of myself." Ryan stood up and couldn't help
but smile at the two of them, so obviously perfect for each other, each having
come to their own peace.

"That's something I always envied in your mother,
Alyssa." He said.

"What's that, dad?" She replied, not taking her
eyes off Preston.

"She was always able to do what she felt was the
right thing to do. Even if it was scary, or dangerous, or didn't make a damn
lick of sense to anyone else on the face of the planet, she was able to tell
the world to go to Hell and buckle down and do it."

"Really?" She said, turning to face him.

"Yeah." He said, smiling at the two of them. "And
the two of you remind of something as well."

"What's that, Mr. Barton?" Preston said.

"Her and I." Ryan Barton's voice cracked just a
little. "The two of us. Her full of passion and life and everything else, and
me scared and worried, but with all the same stuff right under the surface,
just waiting to come out."

"If she wants you, so do I, Preston." Alyssa's dad
stuck out his hand, Preston shook it. "So do I."

As soon as he left the room, the two of them stood
up, Preston looking down at Alyssa, she looking up at him. Her arms around his
waist, his around her shoulders, he pulled her close and their lips touched,
then parted, then he kissed her deep, sweet, long and soft.

Nothing, not a single thing, Alyssa thought, in
her whole life, had ever felt so good, or taken so long to come.

When Preston pulled away, he stared straight into
her eyes, his emerald and sapphire burning into her soul.

"I... I love you, Alyssa. I know that now."

Shaking, she let her head collapse to his chest,
feeling his heart beat softly in her ear.

"Me too, Preston, I love you too."

Another kiss, another long stare, and then she
broke away.

"Where are you going?" He said after her.

"There's...there's someone I promised to call as
soon as anything incredible happened. I think this qualifies."

––––––––

Thank you so much for reading – I hope you enjoyed
reading Preston and Alyssa as much as I did writing them. See you soon!

Romance, suspense, thrills and chills are Anya Karin's favorite things to write and to read.

She lives for complex plots, characters that come to life, and maybe even a little bit of spice. So, that's exactly what she writes! 

She lives in Pheonix with two dogs, a spouse and a pair of sprouts who are listed in the reverse order of the messes they make!