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“Pretty, pretty words, Lock, but the fact remains, youdidwalk away. You didn’t follow me inside. You told me you were done with me. How can I know you won’t do that again?”
Lifting my hand, he rubbed it against his stubbled cheek. “Because I know what it feels like. I know what I did to you, and I know what I did to myself. That’s not happening again. It can’t. We’ll figure out the future together, Wyoming, all of it. I don’t see myself going there without you. I can’t see much of anything without you.”
No. No, that sank in. His lovely promises had found the cracks and wormed their way through them.
“You’re going to keep selling me on it?”
He looked at me from under his lashes, as if he could read my mind and was fully aware of what his pretty eyes had always done to me. “Until you love it like I do, yeah. I’m going to keep selling you on me too.”
His lips touched my hand, and the contact, after almost two weeks ofnothing,sent a ripple of little tremors through me. I lunged across the seat, straddling his lap so fast, I surprised even myself.
I kissed him hungrily, biting his lips and shoving my fingers through his hair. Groaning, he cradled the back of my hair and palmed my ass, pulling me into his chest. I slipped my hand under his shirt, soaking up his warmth as I sucked on his tongue and went feral for his kisses.
It was messy and wet, but we exchanged need and frustration in those kisses. All I could think about was how right it was to be back here, in my place. His arms were strong, his chest was warm, his middle was soft, and my body fit around him like a snake slithering back into my perfect den.
“Elena,” he growled against my lips, tugging at the bottom one with another groan. “Fuck, Ellie, I love you.”
I pressed into him harder, drowning out his voice. Icouldn’thear those words right now. I wasn’t ready for them. This was what I wanted: his mouth, his touch—not promises I wasn’t sure I should believe.
We kissed until I ran out of breath and my head went fuzzy. I sucked in air, then dove in for more. He gave me as much as I wanted, holding me flush, keeping me as close as I could be. It wasn’t enough. I wanted to claw off his clothes and skin to fit myself inside his skeleton so I could always, always have him around me. I’d never be afraid he’d leave me. He’d be mine. More importantly, I’d be his.
That whacked-out desire broke me out of my stupor. I tore my mouth from his. He leaned his head back on the rest, watching me from under hooded eyes. I touched my fingertips to his wet, swollen lips, doing the same to my lips with my other hand.
He patted my butt and rubbed his big hand up and down my spine, soothing me, calming me down with a simple touch. He couldn’t have known the insanity going through my mind, but he could tell I needed what he was giving me without me saying a single word.
“I do love you,” he murmured. “I won’t hurt you.”
“I want to believe you. Ireallydo.” I cupped his cheeks and sighed. It would be so easy if I could let myself fall into this blindly, but part of me was still too injured to let go. “I need more time.”
He didn’t flinch or let his expression change. “Then you’ll have more time. I’m not going anywhere.”
“What if it takes a year for me to get there?”
“Then I’ll wait a year.”Steady as he goes…
With all the reluctance in the world, I climbed off him and gathered my bag. By the time I reached for the door, Lachlan was there, holding it open for me. He walked me through the grass to my porch and unlocked my door. I cracked it open but turned back.
“Thank you for all your help. Sal and I would still be there setting up if not for you.”
He stepped forward, dipped down, and pecked my nose. “Anything, Ellie. I’ll do anything you need, and you never have to thank me.” Then he gave my butt a light smack. “Go get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow.”
He pushed me inside and shut the door before I could say another word. I leaned my forehead against it and sighed. If I could figure out how to do it, I would forgive him.
I pressed my hand against the wood and whispered the truth. “I love you too.”
