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Harper slid his hands into his pockets. His surprise morphed into a familiar expression, one of warmth. It was the face she saw when he listened to her. Really listened.
His eyes seemed to peel back her layers and stare into her soul. It was like he could sense that deep down she wasn’t sure she meant those words. “I know you said you didn’t want to see me again, and I mean to respect that. Um, would you… This is completely out of line, I know, but could I have one moment? One moment to apologize? I won’t ask anything of you, I swear.”
Robin wanted to say yes. But should she?
She’d fallen in love with the idea of Harper Gonzalez, not Harper Wright. She couldn’t trust him. Not after what he’d done. But she also couldn’t deny that cutting him off like that hurt. With everything else she was going through, couldn’t she be a little selfish? Couldn’t she have something for herself?
Harper took a step closer and his brows drew down. “Robin, please?”
“Yeah. Okay. Fine,” she whispered.
His hand closed around hers and he brought it to his lips. He pressed his lips to her wrist and drew in a deep breath, like a man starving for oxygen. The skin tingled where he touched and that sensation skipped up her arm to soothe her heart, all while her brain screamed at her that this was a bad idea.
Harper didn’t love her like she loved him. He couldn’t.
Monday. Recovery Center, New York City, NY.
Harper didn’t let go of Robin’s hand. Despite the lack of sleep, he felt energized. How many times had he gone over what he wanted to say to her? How to make it up to her?
The rooms around Daar’s were empty by design. He led Robin across the hall into an empty suite and closed the door behind them, never once letting her go. Part of him was worried if he released her she’d change her mind and run.
The urge to wrap his arms around her was hard to resist. He was reasonably certain that if he did, she’d knee him in the balls and be gone.
“Did Jessica send you the pages I took pictures of?” Robin asked suddenly.
“Um, I’m not sure. That’s a Diha question.”
“Oh. Right. I’ll ask her then.”
For a moment they stood there staring at each other.
“Thank you.” He slid his thumb along her racing pulse. Was she afraid of him? Angry? Something else?
“Is that it?” she asked. In the dim light it was hard to make out her expression.
“No. Just, thank you for speaking to me.” He licked his lips and grasped around in his mind for the right way to begin. “I owe you an apology so big nothing I ever say will be good enough. I justified my actions at times because it was the job or I was being selfish. I went along with my boss’ plan because I thought I understood you and the situation, but I didn’t. I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry, Robin. And then I’m not sorry, because if different decisions had been made, maybe I wouldn’t have got to meet you. Maybe I wouldn’t have had time with you. I can’t be sorry that my job threw us together. I will regret the pain I caused you for the rest of my life.”
Robin continued to stand there, her face impassive, all while her pulse continued to race under his thumb.
She felt something for him.
“Is there anything I can say or do to convince you to not cut me out?” he asked.
“How am I supposed to trust you?” she whispered then shook her head. “After all this?”
It wasn’t an outright no. He could work with this.
“I don’t think you should be expected to trust me. At least not right now.” What next? Where did he take things? What did he say? “I’d like it if I could, I don’t know, text you? See how you’re doing? We take it slow.”
Robin snorted and shifted away from him, but didn’t pull her arm from his grasp. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Would it make a difference if I groveled? Got on my knees?” he asked.
She laughed. “Seriously?”
Harper didn’t think twice. He lowered himself to his knees and slid his hand to twine with hers. “I’m very serious.”
“Stop playing around.”
