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‘You were right. I didn’t completely believe you and I’m sorry for that—I’m sorry for all of this. I brought you here to prove I was right about you. But I wasn’t. I was wrong.’ He breathed out unsteadily. ‘And you were right about me. I never gave you a chance. I ignored everything Alicia said about you because it was easier—’
Her blue eyes widened. ‘What do you mean?’
He hesitated. It was a secret he’d always kept to himself: that the shock of Charlie and Raymond’s betrayal had hurt less than believing Mimi hadn’t wanted him that night.
‘That night at Fairbourne I wanted you so badly it hurt, and I thought you wanted me.’
‘I did,’ she said shakily.
‘I know.’ He corrected himself. ‘I know that now. But that night I thought you’d played me. And then, when everything came out, I was so angry with you, with myself, I let that anger blank out everything else. Only, this is not who I am, Mimi, and I’m ashamed of myself for behaving like this. I’m so sorry if the way I acted that night put you off getting involved with anyone else.’
She was staring at him, her face framed in the light from the window.
‘It didn’t. Not in the way you mean. I could have had sex with other men, but I didn’t want to because...’ She hesitated. ‘Because none of them made me feel the way you did just by looking at me.’ Her mouth trembled. ‘The way you still make me feel.’
His heart seemed to have doubled in size.
‘Do you mean that?’
His pulse jumped as she nodded slowly.
He lifted his hand and gently caressed her cheek. ‘I haven’t been able to get you out of my head,’ he said softly.
Her eyes widened. ‘Really?’
Staring down into her face, he nodded. ‘Really. I wish I’d said something sooner, but mostly I wish I’d done this...’
Capturing her head, he lowered his mouth and kissed her lightly, moving his lips across hers, his body hardening as he heard her breath catch in her throat.
* * *
Mimi felt her stomach clench with need. Her head was spinning. His lips were soft but firm, and he smelled of clean air and beech leaves. He was all she’d ever wanted—but she’d been here before and it was hard to forget how it had ended.
She felt her body stiffen at the memory of those long minutes of waiting for him to return.
‘It’s okay.’
Sensing her hesitation, he broke the kiss, his dark gaze searching her face.
‘It’s just a kiss,’ he said soothingly.
‘I don’t want it to be just a kiss. But I don’t want it to go wrong again.’
‘Easy...’ He pulled her closer, cupping her face. ‘It won’t go wrong. But there’s no rush. Do you need time to think?’
‘I’ve had time.’ Shakily, she reached out and rested her hand on his chest, feeling the swift, unsteady beat of his heart. ‘A long time. And I want to make love with you. Here. Now.’
His breathing jerked and she felt his heart accelerate beneath her palm.
‘I want that too,’ he said hoarsely.
His gaze slid slowly down her body and then he began to kiss her again, nudging her gently back towards the bed, his fingers slipping under her top, sliding over her skin, slow and soft and sure.
‘Okay?’
He lifted his face to hers and she nodded. Then, with fingers trembling, she pressed her hand against the hard push of his erection. He sucked in a breath and her stomach clenched at his obvious hunger for her, at the size of him. How could she give this man what he needed?
He caught her hand with his, his breathing unsteady as his eyes met hers. ‘Don’t be scared. I won’t let it hurt. I don’t ever want to hurt you.’
