Playing Hard to Master (Masters Unleashed 2)

“And the staff. I also arranged to have the downtown shelter renovated.” Did it sound like he was a rich guy bragging about his philanthropy? Ugh. Could he do anything right today?

She fell silent and eventually shook her head. “You know, when most guys fall in love, they just buy the girl a flower or something.”

He smiled at her tentatively. Taking a chance, he reached out and tucked a damp strand of her hair behind her ear. She didn’t recoil.

“Everly Weston isn’t like most girls.”

Chapter Fifteen

The moment Ambrose touched her hair so tenderly, like he was petting a little lamb, the torrent of emotion she’d been holding back for weeks poured over.

She burst into tears. Not a cute little trembling lip and a few teardrops. This was a full-on ugly cry with deep sobs from the pit of her soul.

Ambrose flinched back. “What happened? Did I do something wrong?”

Unable to make herself stop, she shook her head. “No. It’s not your fault,” she said, half-hysterical. “I’m just . . . tired.”

Through her blurry vision she spotted his hands shaking in his lap, like he was trying so hard to keep from touching her. “You can take a nap in the bedroom.”

“I’m tired!” she yelled, more at herself than him. “I’m tired of being sad and angry and confused. I’m tired of staying awake at night, thinking about you. I’m tired of missing you. I’m tired of poring over what happened in my head, doubting my feelings about it . . .” She had to pause to catch her breath.

When she opened her mouth to rail some more, he pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay to be tired.”

She’d missed this—missed him so much more than she’d even realized. The past few days, she’d thought maybe she was finally ready to get over him. But she’d been kidding herself. As soon as his scent hit her when she’d walked back into the police department lobby, any thoughts about getting over him had vanished.

Then he’d taken care of her—cooked her dinner, picked her up out of the bath, cared for her like he . . . like he still loved her. She’d expected him to be angry that she’d been ignoring him, not sweet and gentle and loving.

That brought a surge of rage and she yanked herself away and glared. “Why do you have to be so nice?” she shouted. “Why couldn’t you be an asshole and make this easier for me?” She punctuated it by pounding her fist on his chest.

He had the nerve to chuckle. “I could never be an asshole to you, love. Not even if you broke my heart a million times over. I’d still be here, waiting for you to do it again.” Hesitantly, he took her hand, looking like he was waiting for her to pull away. She didn’t. “Every moment we spent together was worth the suffering. Even knowing the ending, I’d choose to do it again.”

She cocked her head to the side, trying to read his face.

“I would tell you the truth, of course,” he rushed to add. “No lying. Ever.”

His gaze pierced her, opening her eyes and heart again, making her see him—beyond the money and the mansion and the lies.

Now that some of her knee-jerk emotion had drained away, it became clearer. Their relationship had been real. There was no denying that. Whatever his wealth changed about him, or them, it had nothing to do with his feelings for her. It had nothing to do with love.

And just like that, she believed him.

But how did she express that? Did she deserve another chance after ignoring him all this time? Was there room for forgiveness between them?

Doing her best to compose herself, she straightened. “Ambrose, can we . . . Can we give this another shot?”

His eyes widened like he didn’t believe her. “Are you serious?”

She nodded.

“Yes! Yes, of course we can.” Laughing, he grabbed her into his arms and squeezed her so tight she could barely breathe.

Then he kissed all over her face and neck. In between kisses, he hugged her again, like he was so excited to have her he wasn’t sure what to do with himself.

She half-laughed, half-cried through it. After slobbering all over her, he pulled her onto his lap and she buried her face in his neck.

“I missed you,” she whispered against him.

Stroking her hair, he replied, “I missed you so much. Everyone’s been complaining I’ve turned into a total jackass.”