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“You have ten seconds to tell me what you mean. Nine. Eight. Sev—”
“I looked into her,” I finally said and knew the sound I heard was most likely a chair he’d just sent skidding across the floor.
“You now have five seconds to tell me why things aren’t progressing,” he growled.
“She wasn’t ever supposed to be taken. She wasn’t an unknown. Briar Chapman. Type in her name, dozens of news stories will pop up. The governor of Georgia’s son was her fiancé.”
There was a long pause before he hissed out a curse. “Even if all that is true, there is a reason you don’t look them up. What the fuck did you do?” He didn’t wait for me to respond; he already knew, based on his next question. “Do you realize this could ruin everything?”
I glanced down and drew in a slow breath, savoring it like it was my last. But before I could release it, I noticed a pile of shredded paper sitting on top of my keyboard. My brow furrowed, and I released the breath I was holding as I set down the bourbon bottle. I picked up strings of paper, trying to figure out what my broken girl had destroyed, and had just decided it was probably my letter when I realized everything I was seeing was printed, and the strip in my hand had Houston’s airport initials on it.
“I have to go,” I said quickly and tripped over the foot of the chair from trying to get out of it so fast.
“No, you need to tell me exactly what has happened and what you’ve done,” he demanded as I took off running out of my office.
Apparently not what we both thought, I thought to myself as I flew upstairs. “I told you, I looked her up.”
“You said—”
“Things aren’t progressing right now, but they will. I have to go,” I gritted out and hung up before he could respond as I rushed to the starter room and then back to Briar’s room when she wasn’t there. After looking through her bathroom and closet as well, I went to another room, and another. I was almost finished checking all the bedrooms on the top level when it hit me, and I took off in a dead sprint for the stairs again.
I burst into my room, my chest rising and falling harshly from the adrenaline, my heart racing as I stared at the small, perfect shape of my blackbird as she slept in my bed.
“Briar.” Her name fell from my lips like a prayer, and some indescribable, overwhelming feeling filled and warmed my chest.
I stepped out of my shoes and socks as I walked toward the bed, and crawled so my knees were on either side of her, caging her in. Brushing her long hair away from her face, I said her name again, and watched her slowly wake.
Her eyes glanced at me, then widened. “Luc—you’re h—you idiot!” she cried, and tears instantly filled her eyes.
“Yes, Briar, yes,” I said on a rush. “For so many things I am that.”
“I will always love him—I thought I was going to marry him.” Her eyes were wild as she tried to get me to understand something I couldn’t. “But can’t you see that I can’t live without you? Can’t you see that I’m in love with you?”
I sat back, shocked at her words.
“I know, I know . . . it isn’t allowed. But since when have we ever cared about what is allowed? I don’t care if you will never be able to love me back. I knew that even when I gave you my heart.” Briar wiped at her tears and looked up at me with a pleading stare. “I gave you my heart, stop trying to make me leave you.”
Shock was replaced by awe as I looked at her. “You’re mine.” For the first time, it was a realization.
“Yes! You idi—”
I pressed my mouth to hers and wrapped my arms underneath her to lift her upper body off the bed. With a slowness that suggested we had an eternity, I pulled the shirt off her and dropped it over the side of the bed, then cupped her face in my hands to wipe away the remaining tears.
“I had to let you go, you have to see that.” I passed my thumb over her bottom lip when her jaw trembled and searched her eyes. “You’ll never be forced to stay here again, Briar, but please God, don’t ever leave.”
“I don’t want to be somewhere you aren’t,” she said simply as she reached for the button on my pants.
I captured her lips in a slow kiss and groaned into her mouth when she freed me and curled her hand around my length. With the other, she pushed my pants and boxer briefs down and slowly lay back against the pillows.
She looked like a goddess with her dark hair spilled out around her and across her chest, her breasts full and waiting for me.
I climbed off the bed to finish removing my clothes then slowly pulled the lace off her hips and down her legs.
When I moved back between her legs, she pressed the tips of her fingers to my chest, and I paused to look at her. “For tonight, can you . . .” She trailed off and swallowed thickly. Even in the dark room I could see the way her blood rushed to her cheeks. When she continued, her voice was barely above a whisper. “Can you pretend that you could love me, too?”
“Blackbird . . .” I didn’t tell her she was asking for something I would never be able to give her, she already knew.
Placing one hand over her chest, I memorized the feel of her thundering heart as I slowly pushed into her heat. Her sharp inhale mixed with my low groan as I filled her inch by inch. Incredible. I never wanted to stop being overwhelmed by the rush of emotions when my body joined hers. I never wanted to stop being overwhelmed by her.
