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‘Traitor,’ Emma mumbled, at her usually aloof cat.
She stood aside, and he picked the cat up as he entered. She went to the couch to get the remote, switching the television off before she faced him.
She wrapped her arms around herself. ‘Before you say anything, I want to tell you that you don’t need to check up on me. I’m fine. You owe me no explanations. I knew what this was before we started. We’re all good. I’m sure you must be very busy, so you don’t have to waste any time here.’
‘Can I speak?’ Alex asked, and laughed in a defeated way. He put Lucky down on the cushions and took a step towards Emma, but then stopped. ‘I do owe you an explanation, Emma, and an apology. I’m here to ask you to forgive me.’
‘You’re forgiven. You can go now.’ She needed him to leave. It was too painful to see him.
‘Emma...’
The tormented way he said her name cut right through her.
‘Please listen to me, and after that if you still want me to go, I will.’
Emma nodded, and he felt a small amount of relief that she wasn’t kicking him out. He still felt as if he was holding in a breath, though. He ran his fingers through his hair, piecing together what he wanted to say.
‘I was scared, and I reacted badly.’
A sad smile curved Emma’s lips. ‘Alex, you don’t have to apologise. You told me what you wanted from the start.’
‘Please stop calling me Alex,’ he begged. ‘I do have to apologise—but that’s not the only thing. I’m here to tell you I love you.’
‘What?’ Emma’s eyes widened in shock.
‘I love you, and I think I have since the first time I met you. I knew you were special then, and I’ve been scared since that first kiss. I’ve always had my life ordered just the way I like. You were right. I was always in control because I needed to make sure thatIwas the one who decided who was allowed to enter and leave my life. I could never allow the chaos of love in my life—how could I when I was convinced that I was unlovable?’
Alex closed his eyes and swallowed thickly. Emma could see how hard this was for him.
‘Alexander,’ she said, reaching for him, and he smiled fleetingly, taking her hand and placing it on his stubbled cheek. ‘You could never be unlovable.’
‘Of course I could. Why else would a mother leave her child? Why would she know who I am, be in the same room as me, and never once reach out? I wasn’t worthy.’
Emma’s eyes welled up. ‘That’s not true. Her decisions don’t reflect on who you are.’
‘I realise that now, but it made me foolish. It made me hurt you. And I’m so sorry, Emma.’ He cradled her face in his hands. ‘I didn’t want to be falling in love, but I did it anyway. I didn’t want to make my father’s mistakes and be a broken man when you left, as I was convinced you would.’
Emma couldn’t stop the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.
‘And when I saw how perfectly you fitted into my life I was terrified, because for the first time I wanted that more than anything. I do want that, Emma. I want to go to sleep with you beside me and wake up with you in my arms. I want to share everything I have, everything I am, with you.’
‘Alexander...’ she breathed in broken sobs. ‘But how do I know you won’t get scared again?’
He leaned his forehead against hers, taking a ragged breath. ‘I guess you don’t. But I promise you I will work every day for the rest of my life to prove myself worthy of you.’
‘Worthy of me?’
‘Yes! You are the most incredible, courageous, beautiful, intoxicating woman I have ever met. The question is: will you accept me?’
‘I love you, Alexander, so much. Of course I accept you! All I want is you.’
‘You have me, baby. For the rest of our lives.’
Alex kissed her as he never had before. With desperation and fervency and so much love that neither of them could breathe.
‘I have one more thing to ask of you,’ he said against her lips. ‘Will you and Lucky move in with me?’
Emma laughed brightly, giddy with joy. ‘Let’s go.’
