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Théo folded his arms, staring out the window. Carrie meant more to him now than just incredible sex, more than soul-searing passion. He knew her. He cared for her. Admired her. Respected her. And more…
Infatuation, he told himself furiously. Illusion. He could have another beautiful woman at the castle within the hour. He could replace Carrie easily.
But his soul felt the lie.
He took a shuddering breath, his hands tightening into fists as he stared out at the distant horizon toward the airport he couldn’t see beyond the southern hills.
He knew he could never replace Carrie. The mother of his child. The woman he’d gotten to know outside of bed. Kindhearted, idealistic, romantic, passionate. No woman alive could compare to her. Her innocent faith had made him into a better man. Made him want to be the man she’d thought he was.
She’d brought him to life. And he’d let her go.
For her own good, he told himself fiercely. She deserved a man who could love her. A man who would put her needs above his own. A man who would always seek to protect her.
Even from himself.
For several seconds blood roared in his ears as he stared blindly through the window. He was willing to suffer anything, endure any pain, in order to secure Carrie’s happiness. Did that mean he loved her?
He felt like all joy had died, vanished from the earth in a puff of smoke, from the instant she’d left. Did that mean he loved her?
He felt like he’d give up his billion-dollar business, lose his fortune, his status, his homes—if he could only have Carrie and his son at his side.
She’d seen him at his worst, but still found it in herself to forgive, to love him. He couldn’t quite understand the miracle of her heart.
For him, loving her was easy.
His eyes widened.
He loved her.
He was completely, totally, insanely in love with her. It wasn’t illusion. It wasn’t fantasy. It was the most real thing in existence. The only thing that would live after death. He loved her.
His heart expanded in his chest, then suddenly constricted. He sucked in his breath, then narrowed his eyes.
He had to catch that plane.
Flinging back the door of the study, Théo raced down the hallway, his footsteps pounding heavily against the marble floor. Grabbing a key in his garage, he jumped into his fastest car and roared down the road so fast he almost flew.
He arrived at the private airport, sliding to a stop with a scatter of gravel. He ran through the cavernous, empty hangar out onto the tarmac.
But he was too late.
He watched his plane take off and soar into the sky.
“No,” he whispered, his breath coming hard. He covered his face with his hands. “No.” “Théo?”
He whirled around. Carrie stood quietly by the wide open door of the hangar, holding their baby in her arms.
“You ran right by me,” she said awkwardly. “You went so fast I couldn’t—”
Théo didn’t wait. He didn’t think. He just went straight to her and took her in his arms.
Entwining his hands in her hair, he kissed her with all the passion and love he’d kept hidden in his heart for thirty-six years. Waiting for her. Only for her.
As he felt her kiss him back the frozen wall inside him finally broke, allowing life and sun inside his soul. He pulled away, stroking her cheeks as he looked down into her eyes.
“I love you, Carrie,” he whispered. “I love you.”
His kiss was gentle, deep and true. It was a promise.
