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“Right. I’ll have someone bring it out for you,” the manager assured me.
Jace leaned back against the counter as the woman left us. “What did you get her?”
“It’s a dream glider. A bassinet type of swing that Hayat can be rocked to sleep in. It was at the top of Lucy’s list, and I snatched it up before any of the grandparents could.” I laughed, remembering the text I’d gotten from Jesse Thornton for getting the dream glider before he could, and then the email from Devlin Cutter.
Hayat didn’t know how lucky she already was with how much her grandfathers were going to spoil her.
Jace’s hand caught mine, his fingers interlocking with my own. I went still in surprise, fighting my body’s instant reaction to his touch. Helping him, even laughing with him over the last half hour, had been nice. It was easy to fall back into old habits with him, but with his skin caressing mine, it was difficult to separate friendship from relationship. “Thank you for helping me.”
I tried to tug my hand free, but his other hand had caught my wrist, his fingers gentle as he lifted it and examined my bruises.
His throat bobbed, remorse and shame clouding his face. “I’m so sorry, baby. I swear, I didn’t mean to do this.”
I caught his hands and pulled mine back. He released me instantly. “I know you didn’t mean to. That’s why I didn’t drop you on your ass then and there.”
“Can we talk?” he asked, his eyes pleading.
I looked away, knowing if I didn’t, I would give in. “There really isn’t anything left to talk about, Jace.”
“Maybe you don’t have anything to say, but I have plenty.” He leaned down, his face coming closer. I tried to turn my head, but his scent filled my nose anyway, and my body began to shake in reaction. It had been so long since the last time we’d made love, and I wanted him so fucking badly. His nearness alone was making my breasts swell and my nipples harden, pressing painfully against the material of my bra. “Just give me a chance, Kin. Let me explain about Eden and why—”
“Stop,” I whispered fiercely, stepping back from him. “All the chances for explanations have come and gone.” I looked at him then, letting him see my tears, my pain. “You had a year to tell me, and you stayed silent. You blocked me out even more than you normally do during that time, and I’m disgusted with myself for letting you treat me like that.”
“I’m sorry,” he groaned. “Baby, I never meant to push you away. Fuck. I just didn’t want her crap to touch you.”
“All I have ever wanted was to come first with you, Jace. That was why we broke up when you first came out here with the band. I thought…” I sucked in a shuddery breath. “I thought when we got back together, things would change. We loved each other, we were finally back together after months of fighting, and I thought we could move forward. But I was living in a fool’s paradise. You couldn’t even bring yourself to confide in me about your sister, and I get that you were trying to protect Kassa. Really, I do. But you could have told me. You should have told me.”
“I know,” he agreed, cupping my face in both his hands. “I know, baby. And I’m sorry about all of that. It’s not going to happen again. I promise you.”
“I wish I could believe you, but you’ve already broken my heart twice. I’m not giving you a third chance to stomp all over it.”
“I won’t. Not ever again.” Tears filled his eyes, and he didn’t seem to care that anyone in the store could see us. “Take me back, Kin. Let me prove how much I really do love you.”
“I can’t.”
“I bought a ring when I got back to LA after you left me in Virginia,” he announced, and my heart leaped in my chest. “I was stupid for not asking you to marry me the second you turned eighteen. I was crazy to think we didn’t have to get married until later on. You are the most important person in the world to me, and I fucked up by not showing you that every single day.”
I pushed his hands away, stepping back. “Don’t. I’m not arguing with you about that here.”
“Marry me, Kin,” he commanded, his voice rough with emotion. “Let’s stop this madness and get back the happiness I took for granted.”
“I said, stop it, Jace.”
“Why?” he demanded. “I love you. You love me. Let’s get married.”
“Because you being sorry isn’t reason enough to get married!” I exploded. “Marriage wasn’t even on your radar until I brought it up the night we broke up. You freaked out, like I was asking you to commit murder instead of asking you why you didn’t even want to move in together.”
“Kin, just let me explain.”
“Here we are,” the manager said merrily as she appeared with Jace’s large gift bag in one hand and pulling a small cart with my own present behind her. As soon as she felt the tension between us, she paused. “Is everything okay?”
I put some much-needed distance between Jace and me, giving the woman a tight smile. “Thanks for everything. I’ll take that, thanks.” I bent and lifted the wrapped box. I was glad it wasn’t overly heavy so I wouldn’t have to struggle to get it into my Range Rover. Avoiding Jace’s gaze, I walked away.
Outside, I set the gift on the ground and opened the back of my Range Rover, but before I could lift the box again, Jace was there to do it for me. Placing it securely inside, he turned to me and cupped my face. “I love you.”
My chin began to tremble. “Stop.”
“I know you’re not ready yet. That you need more time. But we will discuss this, and you will listen to what I need to tell you, baby. I can wait, barely, but I can.” He touched his lips to my forehead before stepping back. “Don’t cry,” he ordered, his voice hoarse. “I don’t want you driving upset.”
