‘What?’ she said, defiance bursting from her. ‘I’ve been busy.’
‘I know, and I’m sorry for leaving you in the lurch like that.’
She softened instantly, regretting her crabby retort. ‘Please don’t apologise. I’m sorry. I’ve just...’
What? Missed you? Fallen in love with you? Lost my mind? All of the above...?
‘What am I going to do with you?’
He gave a small shake of his head, his voice husky, and his thumb started to brush over her chin. His eyes lowered to her lips and instinctively she drew her bottom lip between her teeth, the provocation both impulsive and purposeful. Please kiss me, it said.
Her lids lowered, her breathing hitched, her head was dizzy with hope... But there was no kiss.
Reality speared her and she opened her eyes to delve into his. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Christ, this is hard.’ He squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again they looked ravaged, lost, unsure.
She slipped her hands over his shoulders, partly to reassure him and partly to hold herself steady against the mounting trepidation. ‘What is it?’
He shuddered on a breath. ‘I’m here to ask you for more.’
She frowned, their past conversations coming back to haunt her.
Did he mean...? Or was it still sex? More sex?
‘I know I don’t deserve it, and I know what I’ve said, how I’ve behaved...’ He shook his head again, his tortured gaze beating down into hers. ‘But I was confused. I had no idea what I wanted—not truly.’
She was struggling, her sleep-deprived brain trying to make sense of what he was saying.
Was he this desperate to keep her in his bed?
A spark of anger flared. ‘Are you asking for a fuck buddy?’
He flinched. ‘Hell, no! I’m doing such a shit job of this. I’m sorry.’
She let go of a relieved breath and he moved to cup her face, his thumbs caressing her jawline, his impassioned sincerity holding her captive.
‘I’m asking you to take a chance on me—to be with me.’
Her ears started to ring, hope flaring.
‘I’ve lived my life ruled by my past—running from it, living in fear of my father, fear of becoming him, fear of falling in love and losing it.’
Tears pricked at her eyes. Did he mean...? Was he saying...?
‘Meeting you made me question it all. You opened my eyes to how foolish I’ve been.’ He brushed an escaped tear from her cheek. ‘I don’t want to waste another second without you.’
‘What are you saying?’
‘That I love you, Jennifer. Christ, I should have just led with that.’
He gave her a half-smile that made her tummy dance.
‘I loved you long before I even realised it myself.’
He dropped his head, his forehead coming to rest against her own, his eyes intense.
‘I know I’ve made a complete cock-up of our beginning, but if you’ll just take a chance, let me show you how things can be, I’ll do everything—’