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“Of course.”
She grins and turns, walking back inside while I work on chopping potatoes in thin slices and place them in aluminum foil on the grill…and try not to think of her naked in the shower.
She comes out in a short dress, barefoot, her wet hair curling down her back.
And it takes everything in me to not kiss her senseless and carry her to my bed.
Forget dinner…and forget about everything but making her remember how right we are together.
I manage to get our food on the table without going caveman on her and carrying her straight to my bed.
She’s in a fragile state, for God’s sake, I remind myself.
But it’s like the girl on the floor of the barn is gone and Sofie’s back. She’s relaxed and there’s a constant small smile curving her lips.
“I feel so much better,” she says.
We sit at the table on the deck, dishing up the food, and she stops, putting her hand on my arm.
“Thank you, Theo.”
I chuckle and bring her hand up to my lips, kissing the top of her hand.
“You keep thanking me, but I should be thanking you. I finally have you right where I want you…here…with me.” I try to keep my tone light, but she swallows hard and looks like she might cry again. “I’m sorry. I’m not going to pressure you…if you can’t stay in Landmark, I will understand.”
And I want to tell her I’d go with her in a heartbeat. All she has to do is act like she wants me to…but it’s too soon for that.
She frowns and squeezes my hand, our fingers now linked together. “I didn’t mean I can’t stay in Landmark, Theo. I meant that house.”
I take a deep breath and nod, trying to shake off the persistent fear that this is temporary.
“Well, how soon can we move your things in here?” I say, grinning.
Her eyes light up at first and then she takes a deep breath and I brace myself. Sure enough, she pulls her hand away.
I focus on my food so she doesn’t see how much that hurts.
We eat for a few minutes, quiet except for the birds chirping and the sound of Fred chewing on a bone.
“You don’t need to feel obligated to have me here, just because I don’t want to be in that house,” she says finally.
My eyes fly to hers. “There’s never beenobligationbetween us, Sof. And there won’t be now. I hope you’re not here with me because you feelobligatedto fix some of the hurt or guilty…”
She sets down her fork, her expression stricken. “I’m not. I mean, Idowant to fix some of the hurt, but it’s because I love you, not because of—” Her eyes soften at my expression. “What?”
“You love me?”
“You really think I ever stopped?”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
BODY RECOLLECTION
SOFIE
He stands up and I meet him there, already lifting my lips up to meet his.
Somehow, he manages to get the large pan of remaining food in the house without our mouths ever parting, and when his hands are free, he lifts me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carries me upstairs to his room.
