Compulsive (Liar #1) (22 page)

“It’s not about trusting you, Gray. I’m trying to help
you.” He looked toward the door for an instant and sighed. “I care about you.”

That should have made my heart leap, but the fear
behind his words kept me grounded. Three small, slow steps positioned me
directly in front of Daniel. It took everything in me to not beg him to be with
me. Until Daniel was ready to open up to me fully, futile attempts were a waste
of energy. I ran the back of my fingers down his cheek. “You have helped me,
Daniel. And now, I’m going to help myself.” My hand slid to the back of his
neck, and I reached up on my toes, kissing his cheek softly. My body melted
into his when his arm took me around the waist and pulled me into an embrace.

“God, I’ve missed you, Gray.” The whisper floated out
like a reflex and curled into my ear.

“I’ve missed you, too,” I said as my body ached at the
heavenly contact. “More than you could know.”

“I hope you know how much I want to be with you. I
just…”

I summoned my courage to pull back to meet him eye to
eye. “I do know that. But, there’s this cloud between us. And even though I
know now it’s not only because of me and my past, I still need to make things
right for myself.” Surprise lit his eyes, and he nodded. We’d come full circle.
I finally realized that it wasn’t Daniel who was going to be the hero of this
story, it was me.

His arms slipped from my waist, and took hold of my
hands. “That’s what I want for you, too. It’s why—”

I pressed a finger to his lips. “You don’t have to say
anything. I’ve got this covered.” My calm, confident tone told him how serious
I was. “I’m going to show you that I can make it on my own first. Without you.
Without Nathan. Without any man. And when I’m done, I’m coming back to you,
Daniel.” My eyes beamed. The determined smile I flashed him was met with one of
equal brightness and filled with pride. “And you’d better be here waiting for
me, with whatever you’re going through worked out.” He squeezed my hand in
understanding as I continued. “Because we’re in this together. I’m doing this
for you and me. For us. One step at a time.”

--------------------------

Dr. Daniel Harrison

I watched, speechless, as Gray walked out of my arms, my office, and my
life. Both sadness and relief washed over me that this decision had been taken
out of my hands. At least for now. Maybe with a little time and space, we’d
both be able to see things more clearly. God knows, I couldn’t see a damn thing
but Gray when she was in my presence. She had a way of filling me with both
strength and weakness. I don’t know which I used more as I let her hand slip
from my fingers.

I padded to Gray’s window, took in the view that had
comforted her on so many occasions, and contemplated my actions over the last
six months. Once again, I’d compromised my integrity…both as a man and a
doctor. Hurting Gray was inevitable. I knew it the first moment I laid eyes on
that playful mysterious smile and those haunting hazel eyes. That first day at
the hospital, the pull I’d felt toward her should have sent me running. Instead,
I sought her out and took her on as a patient. The runaway train of emotions
couldn’t be stopped, nor did I want it to. I let her into my heart and showed
her little by little, in subtle ways, what she meant to me.

I knew she wasn’t Melissa. As a doctor, I knew it was highly
unlikely for history to repeat itself. Still, I failed both ethically and
morally. And, as a man, I could admit I was afraid. Afraid to love her, to
break her heart, and to be responsible for what could happen if it all came to fruition.
More than that, I was terrified of losing her forever, and that made me weak
and selfish.

I wished I could have been stronger for her. In the
beginning, when I felt it happening, I should have been stronger. But I fell,
and I fell hard. And I did the only thing I could do if I truly cared about
her. I pushed her away, like I should have done with Melissa. Now, Gray was
determined to prove herself to me while giving me space to work out my own
issues. That was one damn, stubborn woman. If she gets through this, she will
come back to me, stronger. Maybe then she’ll be able to hear the truth about me.
I could only hope that I’d be able to tell her and move on. What choice did I
have? I couldn’t imagine life without her. I couldn’t imagine how I’d get
through the time away from her, though I knew it was necessary. I needed to
know that her feelings were real. As real as mine. Because I didn’t simply want
to be there for Gray. I wanted to be everything to Gray.

Want to read more about Gray and Daniel? Please watch for
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Thank you so much for reading
Compulsive
. I hope you
enjoyed it and will help spread the word to new readers, or consider posting a
review to Amazon. Positive feedback from readers is a joy and so inspirational
for authors. If you would like to try other books by me, please visit my
website at
www.liafairchild.com
, or
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ABOUT THE
AUTHOR

Bestselling author, Lia Fairchild, is both a traditionally published
and independent author who writes women's fiction, romance, and chick lit. Fans
of her books praise her endearing, real characters who come to life in stories
that will touch your heart.

Fairchild is addicted to the warmth of Southern
California and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a multiple-subject
teaching credential. She is a wife and mother of two teenagers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I
will never stop learning in this business. I will never stop listening to
advice and input from my fellow authors. I appreciate them all so much, and I
know the field of publishing is ever changing. With this book, more than any
other, I sought advice. I had countless questions, because I knew this book
would be special. All of my stories, no matter what the genre, include a
romance element. Love, after all, is the driving force in any relationship.
But, this is the first time I dove into the romance genre. I want to thank
everyone who was there for me along the way including both authors and readers.
A special thank you to all my ladies in the BFFs Author Group, especially
author M.C. Cerny for answering my countless questions in regards to therapists
and their practices. Thank you to Sommer Stein at Perfect Pear Creative for
being patient with me while she created this gorgeous cover. To my faithful
beta readers, some of whom have read every one of my books, I appreciate you so
much. As always, I’d like to thank my family. They are my constant inspiration
for working hard and continuing on in this fun, crazy business.