Chapter 3: Prologue, Part 3

I'm still not sure what made him change his mind about us seeing each other, I suspect one of her brothers might have told him what happened at school, not sure, she never said, but whatever the case may be, I'm forever grateful.

And though she was the only girl I'd gone through that much trouble for and couldn't even hold her hand without her dad shooting daggers at me with his eyes, I didn't mind hanging out on her couch watching TV, whispering silly shit to each other, until her dad kicked me out when it was getting late.

I guess he knows what he's doing as a father, because his attitude changed things. I was much calmer, less rushed; there was none of the usual trying to score bullshit. Until her that's all I knew, though my fifteen-year old self never got any farther than copping a feel here and there, at least it was something.

Not with Colton Lyon's daughter though. There was nothing even remotely sexual about my feelings for her back then, which let's face it, at fifteen what else was I going to be thinking about?

But with Colton Lyon's warnings ever present at the back of my mind, I didn't even let myself think anything less than wholesome where his Caitiebear was concerned. I never doubted for a second that he would follow through with the threats he made when he gave me the all clear to be with his daughter.

Not once did I think of turning back. Not even when my friends laughed me to scorn because I wasn't allowed to do the things with her that they were doing with their girls.

It's not like I didn't know that girls her age were doing way more than holding hands with their beaus, or that the many offers I was still getting would get me more than I was getting with her.

But even then, as young as I was, I knew that there was something better waiting for me if I just hung in there. So I ignored all the bullshit and took their ribbing in stride and the more I followed Mr. Lyon's rules, the more at ease things became. It took some doing, but it wasn't long before he stopped giving me death glares each time he saw me.

The funny thing is I didn't have to sneak over to his place, not that I ever would; the man said he'd kill me if I ever tried. But his way of doing things, with him breathing down my neck and overseeing every little detail about our relationship, gave me something I never had. It taught me how to respect a female.

I got something else in the bargain too; I got to see how a real man lives, how he takes care of his family and friends. How he makes sure not just his home, but his surroundings stay safe for his wife and kids. Not that my dad isn't a standup guy, but he's nowhere near the level of Colton Lyon.

Of course at fifteen I already had a strong sense of right and wrong and tended to lean more toward the right, but not until I met Colton Lyon did I become the man I am today. So I guess I have him to thank for that. Now if only he'd let me show him by giving me his daughter my life would be complete. Being away from her like this is torture.

I had no idea when we met that my life would take this turn, that at my age I'd already be on lock, but it's been that way for the better part of four years now and I don't think it will ever change. There will never be anyone else for me in this world.

I'm still not sure if that's a good thing to know at my age or not, because well...she's Colton Lyon's daughter. But she's the girl I grew up with. The one for whom my love grew in leaps and bounds over time, going through all the stages from the beginning to where we are today.

There've been so many roadblocks and pitfalls in our way, the last one being my having to move away from her when my dad's company sent him to another state a million miles away.

Those first few months I thought I was going to die for sure, missing her was a physical ache that refused to go away. I hated everyone and everything only finding solace in the phone calls and Facetime chats we shared and even those weren't enough.

I'd whined and moaned so much my mom grew afraid that I would literally pine myself into an early grave. At least that's what I heard her whisper to dad more than once when I shut myself away in my room and refused to even look at dinner.

I thought for sure my parents would've allowed me to move back home to finish the last year of high school, since they'd been having talks with the neighbors about letting me move back to stay with them. Or even letting me move back into the family home which was still ours and hadn't yet been rented out, and finding someone to stay with me.

But at the last minute that fell through, dashing my hopes and dreams to be reunited with her. Though they understood my feelings for her, and wanted me to be happy, mom thought it best not to let me move away on my own before I turned eighteen.

Since then I've gone on to finish my first year of university and am just waiting for her to join me. I pretty much knew her dad wasn't going to let her leave home two years early but I was hoping that this year, since she was now seventeen, that he'd ease up. But from our conversations here of late it looks like I might be wrong.

She'd given up on going to prom, though I promised to come home to take her. But at my old high school only the graduating class was allowed, and since she'd lost all the excitement over that, I took it to mean her dad hadn't yet given the okay for her to leave school a year early.

I don't push her, I hate seeing her sad and upset, especially since I'm not there to hold her and tell her everything will be okay. And I know from experience that there's nothing that will change her father's mind when it comes to her or any of her siblings.

I can't say that I blame him. I imagine he just wants to spend as much time as possible with his precious daughter as my mom had wanted to spend with me. I understand my soon to be father in law much better than he thinks.

It can't be easy being responsible for something that beautiful. Of course he'd want to protect and safeguard her from anything and everything that may hurt her. The same way I do.

Understanding the way he feels doesn't make my heart ache any less though. I want her here with me. Want to bury my face in her hair the way I used to and inhale her sweet scent that didn't come from any man made secret, but was all her. I felt almost teary at the memory of those times and my heart squeezed with longing.