Hands planted on her hips, Elizabeth stared up at the sign outside of Nathan's shop. He had been avoiding her, and she didn't like it one bit. It had been a week since that night in her house, the night she had been certain he was going to kiss her. Instead, he panicked, running from her once more.

Literally.

He hadn't sought her out since. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she intended to find out. This was a small town. Nathan might be able to avoid her for a time, but she knew exactly where to find him. She had given him that week, hoping he would sort out whatever was going on inside of him, but he clearly hadn't.

Enough was enough. It was time to fight again for his love. Pushing the shop door open with more force than necessary, she strode toward the back room where she knew he was working.

Not bothering to knock, she entered the room. Nathan was working on a chair. He looked up when she entered. The familiar panic at seeing her in his space lit his eyes. Elizabeth didn't care. She was done letting him run. He'd had plenty of time to figure things out. She had a feeling he was trying to avoid his fears by avoiding her.

She wasn't going to let him. He needed to face those fears head on if there was any chance for them to have a future.

Crossing her arms, Elizabeth stared him down. "You've been avoiding me," she said without preamble. "Why is that, Nathan?"

The panic vanished as his guard went up. He cleared his throat, looking her in the eyes. "Because our friendship is too hard on us both," he said quietly. "I can't offer you more than that, but it's also detrimental to our hearts for us to act like we can only be friends. The feelings between us are too strong. It's not fair to you for me to keep coming around and asking to just be your friend. I thought some distance might be a good thing." He looked down. "I need to let you go. Mostly for your sake, but also for mine."

Elizabeth was surprised at his bluntly honest answer. She was touched by his consideration. She was thrilled at his admission to having feelings for her. But she also felt a strong indignation that he was willing to give her up at all. "Why not give in to our love instead?" she asked, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

Nathan immediately shook his head. "We can't," he said. The answer didn't sound convincing in the least. It was automatic and practiced. She had a feeling he didn't believe his response any more than she did.

Courage rose inside of her. She sensed this was a critical moment, one that would make or break their relationship. Nathan would either definitively push her away, or she could do something to make him reconsider. She'd given him time to think things through. Now was the time for action.

Elizabeth walked toward Nathan purposefully. "What's holding you back?" she asked, a challenge in her voice. "What are you afraid of?"

Nathan backed up, trying to put some distance between them. "Everything," he stammered. "You know my story, Elizabeth. This can't be between us."

She continued her pursuit, refusing to let him hide any longer. "That is a complete and total lie, Nathan Grant. I've watched you heal. I've watched as the past slowly lost its hold on you. Our relationship was finding its footing again, and then out of nowhere you ran from me." Her hands found their way to her hips. "You've been fighting love long enough," she said. "It's time to let it in." Her voice softened. "I'm scared too, Nathan. But I know in order to move forward, we have to accept the past. We have to remember it, but we can't let ourselves live in it. Neither Jack nor Sarah would want us to stay frozen in time. They would have wanted us to be happy."

Nathan looked torn between reaching out to her and keeping her at arm's length. He chose to back up some more. In doing so, he bumped into a chair, falling into the seat hard. It was the one he was working on, and it didn't yet have arms.

Perfect, Elizabeth thought, a small smile lighting her face. She moved forward. Nathan gasped as she sat sideways in his lap, turning her torso so it faced him and locking her arms around his neck.

Never before had Elizabeth done anything so bold. She almost couldn't believe what she had just done. But she'd gone this far. She wasn't about to give up now. One hand remained behind his neck while the other moved to his cheek. Their eyes locked as time stood still. Nathan's eyes revealed his desire, but restraint also had a home there. Elizabeth positioned her lips above his, knowing if something more was going to come of their friendship, she had to make the first move.

"What do you say, Nathan?" she whispered, rubbing her thumb along his jaw. He inhaled a ragged breath. "Will you open yourself to me?" She moved closer, her lips only a breath from his. "Will you do what you're afraid to do?"

His lips parted unconsciously at the reference. Elizabeth took advantage of the moment. She captured his lips with hers. Immediately, her senses kicked into overdrive. Butterflies beat hard against the walls of her stomach. He tasted like coffee and peppermint. Her hands worked their way into his soft, wavy hair as she explored his lips. They were intoxicating. The only thing missing was his response.

Please, her heart begged. Please kiss me back.

And then he did. As his shock wore off, his restraint vanished. His arms came up to envelop her in an embrace, drawing her closer to him. He angled his head to deepen the kiss. A groan escaped him as his pent-up passion flooded her. She held on tight, letting him carry her to a place of pure happiness. Their lips engaged in a dance as old as time, mutually seeking and giving. Elizabeth no longer had to wonder how strong Nathan's feelings for her were.

His kiss said it all.

Nathan had known if he ever had the chance to kiss Elizabeth, it would be wonderful. But this…this was unexpected. The explosion of passion surprised him, but he couldn't stop himself. All of his feelings for her poured out into a kiss that rocked them both. His hands pressed her tightly to his chest. He felt more than heard Elizabeth's gasp as his kiss went deeper, expressing the love he'd been fighting for far too long. For a moment, he wondered if he was scaring her with his intense passion. But her lips responded with an equal passion, and Nathan got lost in a swirling sea of emotion.

When they finally broke apart for air, they were breathing hard. But that didn't stop them for long. Their lips met again in mutual accord as they shared another passion-filled kiss. Nathan slid his hands into her hair, clutching fistfuls of the soft curls as their kiss went on. Finally, he pulled back, gasping for breath and struggling for self-control.

Elizabeth rested her forehead against his, her arms sliding around his upper back. "Nathan…" she murmured, eyes closed as she leaned against him. She didn't say anything else, but there was a world of feeling in her simple expression of his name.

Nathan was done holding back. Her courage in coming here after he ran from her was the key to unlocking his own inner strength. His hands slowly released her hair in order to wrap his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth," he whispered, remorse pulsing through him for pushing her away for so long. "Please forgive me for being such a stubborn fool."

She smiled without opening her eyes. "It's enough to know you feel the same way I do," she said softly.

"I do," Nathan said fervently. He smiled, finally free. "I love you, Elizabeth Thatcher."

Her eyes opened then as she let out a soft gasp. Tears sparkled in her blue gaze. "I was hoping you'd say that," she whispered.

Nathan found her lips again. This time, he kissed her slowly and tenderly. Elizabeth responded in kind. They let themselves linger there, their lips gently exploring each other. There was no rush. Time faded and only they remained. When their lips slowly parted, Elizabeth framed his face in her hands.

"I love you too, Nathan."

Her words freed him from any lingering doubts. With his heart wide open, Nathan fully embraced love as he embraced Elizabeth. There was no need for any more words. The two of them simply rested in each other's presence, basking in the feelings of loving and being loved.

After years of guilt and fear, Nathan finally felt like he had found his home.

Elizabeth's feet barely touched the ground as Nathan walked her to her rowhouse. She rested her head against his shoulder while they walked. His arm was looped around her, keeping her close. Once again, they didn't need to talk. Their hearts were joined in a communion of love, and for now that was all they needed.

Her happiness knew no bounds. Nathan was finally free. He had finally stopped running. She felt like squealing in excitement, but instead she squeezed his arm, nestling a little closer to him. His arm tightened around her in response. Now that they had found each other, neither one wanted to let go.

When they reached her front porch, Elizabeth wasn't ready to say goodbye. Neither was Nathan. He took both her hands in his, simply looking at her for a few long, blissful moments. Words still felt superfluous. Instead, Nathan leaned forward, giving her a kiss that held such gentle passion, her knees turned to jelly. She held onto him tightly, his hands the only thing keeping her from sinking to the ground.

Nathan pulled back, his crooked smile soft and warm. "I hope that was alright?" His eyes were focused on her with such tenderness, she melted instantly.

"More than alright," she whispered softly. She grinned, feeling a freedom to gently tease him. "I must say, you are quite the kisser, Mr. Grant."

His cheeks flushed scarlet. "About that," Nathan said. He cleared his throat, swallowing twice in a row. "Please forgive me for my…uh…enthusiasm from earlier," he stammered. His blush deepened. "I'm not sure what came over me. That level of passion should probably be reserved for marriage."

Elizabeth smiled. His embarrassment was endearing, but she knew he was right. "Probably," she agreed.

Nathan raked a hand through his hair. "That won't happen again," he said. "Not like that." A smile tugged at his lips as he cupped her cheek. "Though, if it's alright with you, I would like your permission to steal some milder kisses from time to time…while I court you properly." A shyness filled his eyes that Elizabeth had never seen before. "That is, if you'll allow me to court you."

Love burst from her heart in waves, pulsing through her entire body. She took his face in her hands, looking deeply into his eyes. "I would love nothing more," she said softly. She smiled, giving him a little wink. "And you don't have to steal any kisses, Nathan. I offer them freely." To prove her point, she raised her face to him, waiting for him to come to her.

He didn't disappoint. His kiss was achingly sweet, and Elizabeth once more got lost in his embrace, tender though it was. When he pulled back, his eyes remained closed.

"I might still have to work through my fears, Elizabeth," he said quietly. "I don't think they're going to vanish overnight." He opened his eyes, gazing at her with open vulnerability. "But I'm done running. I want to give us a chance. I don't want to let my fears keep us apart any longer."

She nestled against him, hearing his heart beating against her ear. "Good," she said simply.

Resting together, neither one noticed Rosemary watching from her front window. She beckoned to Lee, pointing at the young couple who had been kept apart by Nathan's resistance. Clutching her husband's arm, she resisted the urge to shout with delight. Rosemary was happy for her friends. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Nathan and Elizabeth belonged together. Now, it seemed they were going to get their happy ending.

They had found their way together at long last.