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She studies me for a long moment as she nibbles the corner of her lip, before she finally agrees with a nod. “Give me twenty minutes to fix myself.”
Palming the side of her face, my thumb drifting over her full bottom lip, I tell her, “You’re beautiful, Olympia. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” When she gasps, the magnitude of that statement hitting her hard, I kiss her again. A simple, quick kiss. “You steal my breath.”
I can see the thoughts whirling in her blue eyes as she watches me back away from her. When I hit the door, her hand drifts to her belly and I don’t miss the tremble as I remind her, “The blue dress, Olympia.”
She nods, whispering, “Twenty minutes.”
twenty-six
Olympia
As promised, I was ready in twenty minutes. Thank goodness I’d showered that morning, or I’d never have been able to get ready so fast. With a splash of cool water on my face, and a light dusting of makeup, I looked presentable in my little blue dress. I decided to pair the dress with my strappy gold heels, a few gold bangles, and a set of gold stackable rings. My natural waves hid the kinks in my hair from crying in bed for the better part of the day, as I struggled with my emotions, and all things regarding Tav.
Still, with a swipe of nude lipstick, I felt presentable enough to present myself to Tav.
When I did, his lips parted and his eyes—I think they heated.
When he licked at his lips, my traitorous body hummed in warm response. I ignored the physical effect he had on my body by gesturing to the entrance. “Ready?”
His answering, “Yeah,” sounded impossibly deep and decadently delicious.
I scolded my body when it raised another degree in temperature. Silly, silly body. Get a grip!
Now, tucked into the passenger seat of Tav’s SUV as he pulls into the parking lot of a car dealership, I ask, “What are we doing?”
Tav parks as my heart begins to thump at an unsteady, anxious beat. He kills the engine and turns to me. “You’re mine, Olympia. This has nothing to do with the bet, but if it did, you won. Not only did you fool everyone else into believing you were head over heels for me, but you tricked my heart into falling for you.” He pins me with those dark eyes as I hold my breath. “I’m in love with you. Don’t know when it happened, but I figure it happened around that first kiss. First taste of apples.” He chuckles. “Addicted. I fucking taste sweet peas and rain with every breath I breathe. I’m hooked on you, and, yeah, I tried to fight it and lost. I lost hard, so now I’m yours. I get that I’ve got work to do when it comes to claiming your heart, but I’ll do it, Olympia. I’ll work until I’ve worked myself to the bone, and then I’ll work through the bone to the marrow to prove it to you, because you. Are. Mine.” He pulls in breath. “And baby, I’m yours. So, we’re getting you a car, because it’s time you start living that life you dreamed, you’d have when you trusted me enough to run to me. To give yourself, your safety, and your future to me. And I want to help you do all the things you want.”
I’m too shocked and too overcome with feeling to do anything but stare at him. In my mind, I’m jumping with joy. Hell, in my mind, I’m leaping over the console into his lap and kissing the ever-loving hell out of him. In reality, I can’t move. I can hardly breathe.
Tav exits the vehicle and rounds to my side where I’m still sitting stone-stiff, processing. He opens the door and leans in, dark eyes connecting with mine. “Kiss me, baby.”
“What?” I breathe, shaking my head at the surrealness of this moment.
“Kiss me.”
“I—”
Hooking me around the side of the neck, Tav leans in and claims my mouth. The kiss isn’t tender. He kisses me hard and deep and long. Our tongues clash as though in a battle for the very heart in my chest. He doesn’t pull away until a little moan escapes from the deep of me to linger on his lips.
His eyes search my now flushed face before he shoots me a killer grin. “There’s my girl.”
With that, his hand wrapped around mine, he leads me into the dealership.
* * *
Not old enough to drink in public—at least at an establishment like this—I swirl my sweet tea in my glass. The half-eaten chicken alfredo on my plate settling heavy in my belly as my mind drifts over the last twenty-four hours.
Really, these hours have been a dream.
Tomorrow, the dealership will deliver my brand new, sparkly blue Land Rover SUV that Tav bought for me, even though I’d protested hard when I saw the price of the car. Still, with a single glance at me, he’d silenced all protests.
Then he took me for dinner.
The conversation had been easy, and mostly about Devils Heartbreak, until now.
Now, Tav’s most recent question rings in my ears. How did I become engaged to Darius, and why did I run?
I feel dizzy. Because my mouth is dry, I take a sip of my sweet tea.
