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I take her by surprise by catchin’ her balled-up fist with my left hand, clutchin’ the back of her head tighter within my grasp with my right. I pull her down to my lips before the statement she’ll only regret can be put out into the air. I know she’s angry. I know she’s hurt. And she can beat the ever-lovin’ fuck out of me later if it makes her feel better. But I can’t let her breathe another damn second without knowing how I feel about her.
I pull away from the kiss and breathe against her lips, “I fuckin’ love you, Jordan Williams.” She chokes on another sob, her forehead falling to mine again.
“Don’t…” she pleads, but I kiss away all the tears, muttering, “I love you,” after every peck.
“You’re mine. You promised.”
“But you…”
“I know I hurt you, Jo, but it wasn’t intentional. You fuck with my head, darlin’. I knew if I saw you the next day, and that same look was in your eyes as it was when you left me that mornin’… I couldn’t bear it, darlin’. I had to retrace every moment from that night to make sure that I didn’t overlook a signal from you that you weren’t ready. To make sure that I hadn’t forced you into something you didn’t want.”
I scrub my hand over my face, pissed that we’re fightin’ over something that could have easily been avoided had I come to see her.
“Oh, Mad!” Her lip quivers, and it’s the most pitiful thing I’ve ever fuckin’ seen. I kiss her cheek and inhale her scent, tryin’ to calm the overwhelmin’ pace of my heart. “I was scared Belle would see me, and I didn’t know how she’d react! I didn’t know if what happened would be a one-time thing, or…”
I hold her cheeks between my palms, kissin’ her once on the lips before tearin’ into her. One final explanation to lay this all to rest. “Fuckin’ hell, woman. I love you. Do you understand that?” Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, but the corner of her lip quivers as a smile attempts to form. “I fuckin’ love you, Jo. Belle loves you. You’re the missin’ piece to our little family, and all of this shit over the last two days has been pointless.”
She breaks free of my hold on her and pins me against the chair, her lips
on mine in a kiss so forceful and seductive my cock jumps against her. “I love you. I love you so much, Madden. My god, I’ve fought these feelings for so long, and I was so scared of the moment you’d finally meet your last milestone, when you’d go after the one who got away.” She sniffles, laughing to herself. “I knew all along it was Gia. And when you didn’t answer my calls, then I saw the two of you at Publix—”
“You were there?”
Jordan nods and pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
She shakes her head, a fresh wave of tears spillin’ over her lashes. I quickly wipe them away with the pads of my thumbs. “Gia was with you.”
My heart races against my chest, and I breathe through the impendin’ panic threatenin’ to attack. “Oh, darlin’. I’m so sorry. Gia was there. But not with me. We just ran into her, and she wouldn’t leave me the hell alone.” I hold her against me and breathe, her sweet scent calming me almost instantly.
“But she was the one who got away, Mad! Right!? Isn’t that what you told me in the beginning?”
I shake my head. “No, darlin’. Gia means nothing to me. I did have a crush on her in high school, but she was just as mean and nasty then as she is now. The more I worked with you, the more I realized you’re the woman I want to be with. I didn’t think I was good enough. Gia means nothing to me, Jo. I promise you.”
“Oh, Mad.” She collapses against my chest, arms locked around my neck in a tight embrace. She loves me?
“Forgive me, Jo?”
Jordan grips my cheeks and kisses me, sweet and soft and all-consuming.
“Absolutely.
“I love you, darlin’. I promise to never hurt you again.” I caress her cheek, and she smiles softly against my hand.
“I love you too, Mad. Always.” Damn. Right to my heart. Pierced and claimed.
“You really ate fuckin’ carrot cake?” I ask, hoping to see her smile and hear her laugh.
“YES!” she cries out. “Oh my god, Mad, fuckin’ carrot cake!”
“And was that intentional or…”
She shakes her head emphatically. “No! It was a moment of skewed perception that I completely regret, but I coulda stopped at one. I was upset and hurt and cryin’ that I needed to comfort my soul with a little sugar.”
“Did it help?” I chuckle, kissin’ her cheek.
“No! And I still have calories to burn, so move your ass, Davenport! This extra three-pounds on my ass is all your fault.”
