Heartless: Episode 3

“I do, but I’m really overwhelmed, and I feel like a failure,” I admitted, feeling weak and pathetic—two qualities I despised.

“I know, sweetie, but you’re not a failure. You didn’t do anything wrong. You and Daniel are in that honeymoon phase where you can’t get enough of each other, but you shouldn’t punish him, or yourself, for that. You should be celebrating the fact that you found that kind of feeling in someone as amazing as he is. Seriously, you’re both so lucky.”

“I hate when you’re logical.”

“You just hate when I’m right, which is always, so you must hate me a lot.” She smiled, and I leaned toward her, needing a hug from my closest friend. “You need to call him and fix this. He’ll understand.”

Reaching for the phone, I dialed his office, but his secretary said he would be in meetings all afternoon. Defeated, I hung up the phone, wondering if I’d blown my chances with Daniel after all.

13.

DANIEL

I knew I’d promised Elizabeth that I would walk away and give her space, but fuck that. I would not live without this woman in my life, and I wouldn’t let her get away that easily after only just finding her. I didn’t care what she’d claimed to want.

She’d tilted my world on its axis, and I refused to act like that didn’t mean anything. Dealing with Elizabeth meant finding a balance between not scaring her off and also not really giving her a choice. I knew I needed to walk the tightrope between being understanding and being demanding. If she wanted to run, I’d hold on even tighter. This girl would not be pushing me away anytime soon, and I’d help her work through her fears because I had some of my own.

After charming a young girl into letting me inside Elizabeth’s building, I waited outside her front door with a bouquet that was a single rose lighter and an overnight bag. I was optimistically presumptuous. I had no idea how long I’d be waiting for her to get home from work, but it didn’t matter. I’d wait for-fucking-ever. It was cliché and cheesy as shit but so true.

When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out, wearing a tight-fitting dark blu

e skirt and a light-blue shirt, with her blonde hair falling down to her breasts. I almost fell to my knees at the sight of her. She was so beautiful. The look on her face when she noticed me made my heart leap inside my chest. Elizabeth was surprised but not mad.

I watched as she dropped her purse to the ground and ran straight toward my arms. Allowing the roses to fall to the floor, I reached for her and lifted her off the ground, holding on tight, as I inhaled her scent.

“I’m so sorry,” she breathed against my neck before finding my lips with hers.

Her tongue wasted no time in entering my mouth, and I instantly hardened. I cupped her ass with one hand while my other hand pulled her shirt free before stroking the length of her back. I wanted her.

Her head pulled back, and a smile appeared. “I shouldn’t have said what I did last night. I was hurt, upset, and confused.”

“I know,” I said with confidence.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Of course I’m here.” I smirked at her. There was never any other option. There would be no other choices for me again.

“Let me get my stuff, and we’ll go inside.” She turned to pick up the contents of her spilled purse, and I watched her ass sway from side to side.

Once inside her place, I forced myself to have some control. I’d have my way with her after we sorted this out. I placed the roses on her kitchen counter, and she sniffed at them.

“They’re beautiful. Thank you.” She inspected them, finding the one red rose. “One red?” she asked, unsure of the meaning.

“I thought you might be getting tired of all the white roses.”

She stepped toward me with purpose. Grabbing my tie, she pulled my body against hers. “Never. I’ll never get tired of getting white roses from you.”

I waved my hand toward her couch. “I’m having a hard time concentrating on anything but imagining you naked, Elizabeth, but we need to talk.”

“Well, that’s a first—a guy who wants to talk before screwing. Aren’t you full of surprises?” she teased me and I squelched my desire to spank her for it.

“I talked to Kate,” I started off, figuring I might as well lay all my cards on the table right away.

“When?” Her head cocked to the side, exposing her neck, and I shifted my position.

“Last night, I went over to her place. She was a mess, but I honestly think we got it sorted out.”

“How? She sounded pretty torn up on the phone.” Her eyes creased together, almost as if she were channeling Kate’s pain as her own.