We’d been living just fine without him all along.
“I’m glad you came.” It was the truth.
His lips twisted up, this perfect mesh of arrogance and sweetness, dimple peeking out.
“That’s good because I’m really glad you invited me.”
I chewed at my lip. “I’ve been needin’ to talk to you.”
A little frown pulled to his brow, and I thought maybe it was just then he realized that when I’d said we had some things to sort out, I really meant it. It wasn’t just a simple apology. A shake of hands, an awkward hug, and the promise of starting again.
“Okay.” His tone turned nervous.
I jutted my chin out to the covered porch, and he took a step back, gesturing for me to go ahead of him. Our arms brushed as I passed. Heat blasted across my skin, the man too much, his presence just as potent as the thick air that sagged in the summer sky.
Birds chirped all around, and the trees rustled in the hot breeze, and the smell of our home was coming at me from all sides.
Wild jasmine dancing in my nose, all mixed up with the scent of the woods and the sea.
His aura slipping and sliding and taking hold of me.
I shivered and took a few steps out onto the porch. I was back to crossing my arms over my chest as I stood facing away from him, wondering how in the world I was supposed to tell him this.
“Izzy.” That rough voice hit me from behind, worry and concern coming out with it, and there was no resisting the lure, and I slowly spun around, hit again with the full force of the man.
“I need to tell you something before we go inside,” I whispered like caution.
He raked a hand through those dark blond locks, the epitome of the description of sand. Shiny, sunny strands dappled with browns.
“Figured you might have a few things you needed to say to me,” he said. “Same as I have a few things I need to say to you.”
My smile teetered, and I was trying to hold on. Trying not to break down right there.
“I have children.” I figured I just had to get it out before I lost the nerve.
I watched the words penetrate him. The shock and the hurt and the jealousy.
Maybe a little curiosity.
Then it was acceptance that came riding in. The man knew he had no right to any of the earlier ones. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know I wanted a family. A big one.
Heck, I’d dreamed of it with him right here on this very porch. We’d sit rocking on the swing in the night with fireflies humming around us. Sometimes we dreamed those dreams sitting in my tree, and sometimes in my room which had led to bad, bad things that had felt so incredibly good.
The memories of it seemed to echo around us then, whipping and whirring and inciting those old feelings that might have been better off left dead.
His throat bobbed heavily when he swallowed, and he was back to rubbing at the back of his neck, doing his best to hold back his disappointment and anxiety.
I understood that.
Was okay with that.
I guessed in a whole lot of ways, I’d been disappointed, too. But the hurt and betrayal had outweighed all of that.
I let him process, the man looking off into the distance, his big body vibrating as he bounced a few times. Finally, he looked back at me. “Okay.”
Okay.
I rubbed my hands up my arms. It was way too hot to get a chill, but I felt something cold sweeping through me.
He took a step forward, angling down. He touched my cheek.
Fire flashed. Warming me. Head to toe.
God, I couldn’t let myself get lost in this man right then.
“It’s okay. I get it. We’ve been apart for a long, long time. Never expected you not to move on with your life. It’s what I’d hoped you’d do. Find something better. But I’d be a liar if I said I’m not fucking thrilled that you’re back.”
Moisture welled in my eyes, faster than I could stop it. I wasn’t sure if it was because I didn’t know if I could ever forgive him for what he’d done. If I could ever open my heart enough to go there with him again. At the same time, I wanted to so badly.
But this was bigger than what I wanted.
“Maxon . . . it’s more than that.”
My explanation froze on my tongue when the door banged open, and in a blur, Dillon came stampeding out onto the porch. Two feet away from Maxon, he came to a screeching halt.
It took me a second to process that he’d gone and disobeyed, and my already fried nerves were zapping and crackling. “Dillon.” My voice was sharp, a little bit horror and a lot angry that he hadn’t listened.