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“How did you make the waffles?” I blurted out. “You don’t ... live here.”
Really? That’s your main focus right now?
“I rented an Airbnb.” He looked very intense, as though the task of making these waffles was the most important thing in the world to him. “They’re still hot, by the way.”
They were. They made my chest feel fuzzy from the heat.
“This is why it took me a couple days to get here after coming back from Sri Lanka,” he explained, still looking a little startled to find himself on my doorstep. “Hmm ... are these PJs full of little pictures of your face?”
“I’m afraid so.” I glanced down on a sigh. “Actually, I’m quite terrified so, seeing as I wasn’t expecting any guests.”
Especially ones I consider the love of my life.
“Duff?” Kieran boomed from the living room. “Is it a serial killer? Did he finish the job? More food for us, I guess.”
“It’s fine!” My voice was high pitched. Riggs was still standing in the rain. In my shock I forgot to invite him in. “I’m wrestling him down to the floor and rolling him in the carpet before calling the police.”
“Brilliant. Let me know if you need help.” I heard Kieran munching on something crunchy. My eyes shifted back to Riggs.
“Is this a bad time?” he asked.
“What?” I gasped. “No, no, no. We’re just watching a stupid football movie where everyone is fully clothed. In horrible seventies clothes, no less.”
Riggs let out his familiar You’re-cute-when-you’re-neurotic chuckle.
“So, uhm, what’s up?” I asked after a pause. “I mean, I appreciate the waffles, but ... why are you here?”
Was he here to hand me the signed divorce papers? I hadn’t asked for anything. Maybe he appreciated it and wanted to thank me in person for not turning out to be the money leech I appeared to be. Or maybe he wanted something else. I didn’t dare hope. Hope was the worst thing one could have when disappointment waited just around the corner, with its rust-tipped talons, ready to squeeze your soul out of you.
“Why am I here?” He let out a short breath, as if the question had just occurred to him. Raindrops clung to the tips of his lashes, and he looked like a beautiful vision. Something completely unreal. “I’m here because I thought about you every single day, every single hour, every single minute, every single second while I was in Sri Lanka.”
My insides felt like dominos, falling atop each other at an escalating speed.
“I’m here because everything you’ve ever offered Cocksucker, I want from you. Every kiss, every argument, every baby, everything. I’ve been wanting those things for a while from you, I think. But telling you this was admitting defeat. I promised myself very early in life I wouldn’t care. Would never be chained to a person, to a place. Which made watching you agonizing over him so fucking frustrating.” He took a ragged breath. “I’m here because if it weren’t for you, I’d have never met Charlie, and looking back at the whole thing ... I’m glad I did, even if I only got to know him for a little while.”
My eyes felt hot, and I knew I was about to cry.
“I’m here because you made me feel, and no one else ever had, so I’d be a world-class fool not to explore that. I’m here because I loathed that you didn’t touch my money, because it proved that all the things you tried to be—untrustworthy, materialistic, superficial, ruthless—weren’t true at all. You are, and always will be, the girl who blew her entire savings on a poor stranger who couldn’t afford a subway ticket just because she cared.”
My entire body rocked back and forth with sobs now. Okay. Thatdidescalate quickly.
“I’m here because I don’t want to get a divorce. I want to give this a fair shot. I think we can do it. But most of all ...” His eyes met mine, and they seemed eager, anxious, full of determination. “I’m here because I’m fucking in love with you, Daphne Bates. And if I have to buy your love, then I’m not above that either. Mansions, yachts, country clubs, designer bags. Anything you want, I’ll give you. Just be with me.”
Daphne Bates.
I dropped the waffles at my feet, and we crashed into one another, like a perfect storm. Rain pounded on my head, my back, and my arms as I wrapped myself around him, my legs lacing over his waist. Riggs searched my lips instantly, and I tilted my head up and kissed him hard, rough, feeling his fingers twisting inside my hair, keeping me in place as his tongue invaded my mouth.
I moaned when his mouth descended from my lips to my neck. His face was cold, but his kisses burned hotter than the blazing sun. His fingers sank into the soft skin of my bum, and he ground me against his cock, making sure I knew he fancied me despite my silly jammies.
“Duff! Have you managed to roll our serial killer into the carpet yet?” Kieran’s voice pierced our little bubble. Riggs groaned into my shoulder. I could still feel his erection pressing against my center and cursed my twin brother inwardly when my husband disconnected from me, putting me down gently.
By the tone of Kieran’s voice, I knew he was aware it was Riggs at the door and was now simply taking the piss.
“Yes,” I groaned, rolling my eyes and tugging Riggs inside, where it was warm and dry. “The police are on their way.”
“Goodie. Let me know when they’re here so I can put the kettle on.”
Riggs and I looked at each other again. He was dripping water all over the carpet, and I was quite sure Mum was going to kill us both when she found out.
