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She looked like a dream.
My dream or more like my worst nightmare.
She stood there, lost in her own little world. A world I desperately wanted to be a part of but knew that I never could.
I gazed at her gorgeous face, willing myself to stay where I was and not take her in my arms again. She slept on my chest the entire night as I rubbed her back and hair.
“Happy birthday, Cove.”
She gasped with immediate tears brimming in her blue eyes. “How did you know—”
“Bunny, I’ve known you since you were four.”
“But with your career, you were barely around.”
“And when I was, you lived at our house.”
“Right…” She winced. “I remember that bothered you.”
I gave her a questioning expression. “What are you talking about?”
“Never mind.” She shook her head. “Does that mean you made me breakfast for my birthday?”
Not backing down, I warned, “I don’t like repeating myself. I asked you a question, and I expect an answer.”
“I don’t want to ruin this moment between us by bringing up the past.”
“Stop pussyfooting around, Cove. I’m done waiting.”
“Fine. You’re so bossy.” She sighed. “Your mom’s funeral, remember? I followed you out to the stream behind your house.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, taking in what she was saying.
“I shouldn’t have invaded your personal space. I was just a stupid little girl trying to make you feel better.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but I was interrupted by my cell phone ringing in the pocket of my jeans.
I answered, “Yeah?”
A familiar voice asked, “How’s it going?”
Holding my hand over the mouthpiece of my phone, I nodded to Cove. “I need to take this. Eat whatever you want. I made it for your birthday.”
She didn’t hide the smile eating up her whole face before I spun and left out the back door, shutting it behind me for some privacy.
I spoke in code, “The bunny has been a bit of a pain in the ass, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“You’re the best for a reason. That was quite a performace you put on at that party.”
“I’m just doing my job.”
“She was the belle of the ball. You have two days until your honeymoon is over. I’m sure you’re beginning to wrap things up on your end?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Great. I’d hate for you to miss your flight home, Jace.”
“I’ve never missed a flight before, William.”
“That’s why you’re the best husband.”
He abruptly hung up, and I deeply inhaled, trying to ease the stress of him on my ass and not wanting Cove to see it.
When I returned to the kitchen, she was eating at the dining table. I took a minute to take her in. I could see it in her eyes.
The doubt.
The insecurity.
The sadness for me.
Everything I shared last night continued to weigh heavy on her mind. It was one of the reasons I shut people out. My burdens were mine alone to carry.
There was nothing worse.
I wanted to remember the way she looked at me yesterday, rather than the way she was looking at me now. I had no idea where we went from here. Cove was becoming my biggest weakness and, at the same time, my greatest strength.
So many what-ifs raced through my mind.
So many consequences and scenarios that could happen.
So many fucking choices that could be right or wrong.
Unable to help myself, I reached over and caressed the side of her face, and she leaned into my embrace like she had been waiting for me to do so since the second I walked back into the kitchen.
Her eyes closed, melting into my touch.
The smell and feel of her were all around me, making me burn with desire to claim every last fucking inch of her. I wanted to capture this moment and hold on to it for as long as I could. I wanted to remember her just like this.
For me.
“You make me want to be a better man, bunny.”
Her eyes snapped open with so much fucking emotion, it almost knocked me on my ass as she looked deep into my eyes. Her breathing hitched when my thumb pulled on her bottom lip.
Within a second, my hand suddenly moved to grip the back of her neck, and I brought her up toward me. Once she was standing in front of me, I laid more of my cards out on the table for her.
“I talked to Haven this morning.”
“They’re coming home from their trip, right?”
I nodded.
“Does she know about us?”
“She knows your missing.”
“Does she know I’m with you?”
“She knows I’m looking for you. It’s only so she wouldn’t call the cops to report you missing.”
“What about my parents? They haven’t—”
“No.”
She bowed her head. “Yeah…”
“Look me in the eyes and ask me, Cove.”
She did. “What’s going to happen? You said you had a week, and that’s almost over. If you don’t figure it out in the next forty-eight hours, where does that leave me?”
