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I stare at the man walking toward me, my heart suddenly racing. It can’t be Braxton. I’m in London. He doesn’t know where I am. And even if he found out, he’s in Seattle. He’s not here.
Except he is.
He’s as gorgeous as ever, goddamn him. He’s wearing a dark wool coat and scarf, and he pulls off a pair of black leather gloves, tucking them in his pocket. A hat covers his hair, but it only emphasizes his rugged jaw and smoldering brown eyes.
My belly flip-flops and my heart beats too fast. I’m completely frozen, staring in disbelief. I can’t decide if I want to collapse into his arms and cry, or slap him for showing up here and ruining my New Year’s Eve.
I want to be angry. I want to turn my back and tell him I meant it when I said I never wanted to see him again. But he moves closer, and his expression unmakes me. A groove forms between his eyes and the lines of his jaw stand out. He looks so … wounded. His eyes move over me like he never expected to see me again.
Maybe he didn’t.
The crowd starts to count down.
Ten … nine …
He stands right in front of me, his eyes full of so much pain. Mine fill with tears, and I bite my lip to keep them from spilling over.
Eight … seven …
He doesn’t look away, holding my gaze with his. I’m transfixed. His presence is mesmerizing.
Six … five …
I tilt my face up as he moves in closer.
Four … three …
He leans down. I can see how hard he’s breathing.
Two …
His hand slips into my open coat, around my waist, and he draws me close.
One.
He claims my mouth with his, pushing his tongue in deep. I open for him, sucking in a hard breath, and grab his coat. I pull him closer. His lips on mine feel so good, so perfect, so right. Oh god, I missed him so much. A tear leaks from the corner of my eye, running down my cheek. His arms wrap around me, strong and possessive. He holds the back of my head, keeping our mouths locked together. I couldn’t pull away if I tried.
I cling to the lapels of his coat, falling, crashing, crumbling to pieces. I’m consumed by him—taken. Vaguely, I hear the fireworks, the huge crowd cheering.
He doesn’t stop kissing me. I’m surrounded by his scent, intoxicating and familiar. His mouth, so warm and soft. I melt against him, my body going fluid. I’m surprised my legs will still hold me up.
He pulls back, but our lips don’t part. He holds me there, his breath hot on my face, his arms around me.
My shoulders shake, and the tears come.
He breaks the kiss and holds me against him while I sob into his chest. It can’t be him. This can’t be real.
He speaks softly, his mouth next to my ear. “Kylie, I am so sorry. Please tell me I didn’t lose you forever. Please, baby girl.” His voice breaks. “I love you.”
I lean back so I can look up at him, tears still running down my face. He wipes my cheek with his thumb. My throat feels thick and I’m not sure I can get any words out. I open my mouth, my lower lip still trembling. “I love you, too.”
His legs buckle slightly, and he grabs onto me. For a second I think we both might fall over, but he’s steady. He clings to me, burying his face in my neck. “Oh, god, Kylie, I fucking love you so much,” he says, speaking low into my ear. “I’ll never leave you again. I swear. Never.”
I tremble against him, trying to catch my breath. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold onto him for dear life.
Braxton. My Braxton.
After long moments, he pulls away. The loud bang of fireworks continues, the crowd cheering with every explosion.
