Page 26 of Not Because You Loved Me

My jaw tightened, the protective impulse flaring instantly. "I saw those. I took care of it."

Kat’s head snapped up. "What? Trent, what did you do?"

“Nothing illegal," I said smoothly, a small grin touching my lips, thinking about the look on his face. "I took the note the doctor emailed you after that video consult yesterday morning, walked into the arena, and handed Lars a physical copy stating you were unfit for work until Monday. He tried to puff his chest out, spewed who knows what at me, so I stood over his desk glaring at him until he signed off on your sick leave.”

Kat stared at me, her jaw slightly open, before a soft, genuine laugh burst out of her. "So you are telling me that you gave Lars the stink-eye?"

"I gave him the 'if-you-overwork-my-girl-again-I'll-dismantle-you' eye," I corrected gently, stepping over to the couch and sitting down beside her. "He won't bother you this weekend."

Kat’s laugh faded, and she looked at me, really looked at me, for a long, breathless moment.

"What are we doing, Trent?" she asked softly, her eyes vulnerable and clear. "Besides seriously overstepping on some major things like getting a copy of my key and reading my emails… I don’t think I have it in me to be mad either, because having you here has helped so much, and I… What... What do I even call you right now? My friend?"

A low, rumbling growl escaped my chest before I could stop it. I reached out, gently capturing her chin between my thumb and forefinger, forcing her to hold my gaze.

"Don't call me your friend, Kat," my voice dropping into a rough, husky register. "Call me whatever you need to call me to feel comfortable right now. But don't call me that."

Her breath hitched. "Trent..."

"I'm yours," I whispered, sliding my hand up to cup her cheek, feeling the soft warmth of her skin. "I've been yours since the day I met you, and I’m going to be yours whether you're in Canada or Switzerland. I'm not asking for a label today, and I'm not asking you to make any promises. I just hope that someday, when you're ready, you'll agree to be mine again."

Kat swallowed hard, her eyes searching mine, filled with emotion that went far deeper than anything we’d ever shared during our engagement. There was no duty here. No secrets. Just us.

"I'm going to hold you to that," she whispered back, leaning into my palm.

On Saturday morning, my time was up.

My bag was packed, my boots were laced, and my taxi to the airport was waiting downstairs.

I stood in her doorway, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her small frame tightly against my chest. She wrapped her arms around my neck, resting her head against my collarbone, smelling like my cologne.

"Eat the soup in the fridge," I instructed quietly into her hair. "Take your medicine. And don't let Lars walk all over you."

"Yes, boss," Kat murmured against my chest, a small smile in her voice.

I pulled back just enough to look at her, cupping her face in both hands. I leaned down and pressed a deep, lingering kiss to her forehead, holding it there for three long seconds.

"I don't want to go back," I admitted, my voice tight with a sudden, aching grief. "I want to stay right here."

"I know," Kat whispered softly, resting her hands over mine. "Thank you for coming, Trent. Truly."

"I'm still all yours, Kat," I said, looking straight into her eyes so there was zero doubt left in her mind. "I'll be waiting for you when you get back in May."

I gave her one last, gentle squeeze, turned, ready to leave when her small hand wrapped around my arm, pulling me back.

“Kat?” I questioned, unable to ask what was wrong, because before I knew it she was up on tiptoe, her eyes so vulnerable, as she slowly brought her lips to mine in a kiss that took my breath away. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me as we kissed for the first time since New Year's Eve. When she pulled away with a shy smile on her face, I wanted to thump my fists against my chest and throw her over my shoulder, and take her home. But I suppressed my inner caveman and promised to text when I got to the airport and landed back in Summit City.

The entire drive to the airport, I had a smile on my face and carried a light heart for the first time in months.

CHAPTER 16

Katerina

May

The remaining months in Zurich flew by in a blur of long shifts, high-level rehab sessions, and a steady rhythm that had taken root between Trent and I, even with the distance between us.

He kept his promise. Every day, without fail, a message arrived from home. Sometimes it was a voice note while he was walking a job site, telling me about the kitchen layout he was framing. Sometimes it was a quick update on Cynthia, who was doing remarkably well under strict bed rest, her blood pressure stabilizing, or a joke about Gideon getting roped into running the company's administrative side.