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Vale raked his gaze over Faith. She was wearing make-up, no glasses, and was dressed in feminine clothes that accented the body he craved. Her hair was down, brushing over her shoulders, teasing him with its multifaceted golden colors, teasing him with memories of his fingers clenched in the soft strands when he’d made love to her.
He’d never seen anyone more beautiful.
But, truthfully, what she was wearing didn’t matter. Just that she was there.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Having trouble finding someone else to handle your calls?” she snipped, picking an invisible speck off her short skirt.
Had she purposely worn the skirt to distract him with those long legs of hers? Had she known he’d take one look and start remembering what having those legs wrapped around his waist felt like?
He moved around his desk, sat on the corner, staring at her. “You didn’t quit because of fielding calls on mutual patients.”
She didn’t answer, just examined her fingernails. When she looked up, their gazes met.
Enough was enough. If they were going to get anywhere one of them had to take a leap into uncharted waters. He’d never considered himself to be a coward, but he’d prefer her to go first, to admit that she missed him, missed not only their previous relationship but also the closeness they’d developed during Sharon’s wedding weekend.
Not that he expected her to. Not after what he’d done.
He’d hurt her with his high-handedness.
As much as he hated it, he’d have to grovel if he wanted her forgiveness.
“I’m sorry for what happened the day you quit.”
Her gaze snapped to his, but otherwise she just sat, long legs
crossed, not saying a word. But her fingernails curled into her palms. She wasn’t as immune to what he was saying as she acted.
“I was wrong to ask you to stay away from Sharon. I wasn’t thinking clearly and hadn’t been for a few weeks.”
“Agreed.” Again, she went for bored, but those fingers remained dug into her palms. “Can I go now?”
“No, you can’t go.” He stood up, unable to remain perched on the edge of the desk. “I don’t want you to ever go, Faith. I want you back.”
She jumped to her feet, her heels putting her at mere inches beneath his eye level. “You can’t have me back.”
Her eyes glittered almost violently. Her hands had fisted at her sides. Her chin had lifted in the most stubborn of tilts. He’d never wanted her more.
“I refuse to accept that as your final answer. I will have you back, Faith. One way or another, you will be mine again.”
“My final answer?” Her mouth dropped open and she shook her head at him. “This isn’t some game where you get to toy with me until I change my mind. I’m not coming back to the clinic. Or any clinic. I’m opening my own practice.”
The pride in her voice raised his admiration for her. Faith was a survivor, a woman who could make her own way in the world. No surprise there. He’d always recognized that she was a rare jewel. Had instantly recognized that he wanted her on his side. He just hadn’t meant to come to depend upon her quite so much. To the point that he truly had wanted her at his side on each and every patient consult. At his side all the time.
“If you won’t come back to me, I’ll come to you, Faith.”
“What?” she asked, clearly confused. No wonder. He himself certainly wouldn’t have understood fifteen seconds before.
“Hire me,” he urged, knowing exactly what he had to do, what he was willing to do to have Faith back in his life. “I have excellent references, am willing to work cheap, and haven’t lost my clinical skills.” He hesitated, took a strand of her hair between his fingers, wanting to take hold of so much more. “Actually, the only thing I’ve lost that’s ever mattered to me is you.”
“Is that the problem, Vale? I walked out on you?” She pulled free of his touch, just as he’d known she would. “Let me remind you of how things really went down. You pushed me so far away I had no choice but to walk. For three weeks you ignored that I even existed, treating me like I didn’t exist. Maybe I’d been spoiled by you including me in so many of your cases, but to suddenly be cut out for no reason other than that I refused to continue to have sex with you was wrong.”
She was right, but how could he explain the way he’d felt when he’d looked into her eyes in the lighthouse and known the weekend wasn’t nearly enough time with her? The way he’d felt when she’d told him she didn’t want to continue their relationship?
“I couldn’t be near you without wanting you, Faith.”
She shoved against his chest, her hands sending shock waves through him. “You were around me for months and months without wanting me. You just want what you think you can’t have,” she continued, practically in his face. “Typical man.”
