“Your palms are sweaty,” I said.
“My palms sweat when I’m nervous.”
I leaned down and kissed her hand softly. “Megan, I care about you so much.”
I saw her face fall slightly, and I realized she thought that this was just my polite way of ending things with her for good.
“You are my best friend,” I continued. “And I also happen to believe that you are the love of my life.”
I could see that she was holding her breath.
“Which is why I have no choice but to forgive you.”
Megan stared at me for a moment and then her breath released in one happy gasp of joy. “You…forgive me?”
“I do.” I nodded.
She was silent for a second and then she burst out of her chair and into my arms. She was so excited that she accidentally knocked into my injured leg. I winced in pain, and she gasped in horror.
“Oh fuck,” she cried. “I am so sorry, are you okay?”
“Don’t worry,” I said, trying to shake off the pain. “I’ll live.”
“I am such a klutz… I’m so sorry.”
“Just come here,” I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto my lap.
She sat down on my lap and then I pulled her face to mine as I kissed her hard on the lips. It felt like coming home after a long absence. I realized how much I missed the feel of her nestled against me. I missed the taste of her lips and the weight of her in my arms. Suddenly, the world was righted again, and I felt whole. Despite the burn down my leg and the pain emanating from it, all was well with my world.
“I was so sure you were going to end it for good,” she admitted as she wrapped her hands around my neck.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to do this,” I said. “It was a no-brainer, really. I was just…”
“Hurt,” he finished for me. “I know.”
“I was proud, too,” I sai
d. “Too proud to forgive you because I was still hurting, but I realized that my pride was not worth losing you over. I love you too much.”
“Oh, Phil,” Megan sighed. “You have no idea how much I love you.”
And then before I could say anything more, she bent her head down and kissed me again—until I had completely forgotten what I wanted to say in the first place.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Megan
I felt my need for him surface like an addict who’d caught sight of meth after months of enforced sobriety. I felt my body lean into his, my breasts were tender and sensitive, and I felt moisture pool between my legs. But despite my desire for him, I pulled back, reminding myself that he was injured, and I needed to put his health first.
He seemed unwilling to let the kiss end, but the moment his eyes caught mine, he smiled. “I’ve missed this,” he said.
“Me, too.” I nodded fervently. “It’s been lonely without you.”
“Like my life wasn’t—”
“Complete,” I finished for him. “I know exactly what you mean.”
Phil smiled. “I suppose it was inevitable that we would end up together. I think I felt it the first time I saw you in Brent’s smoke-infested apartment.”