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Anger flashed in his brown gaze before he managed to get it under control. “I know I don’t. But I want the right.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Her heart stuttered in her chest when he opened them once more. “I crave that right, Dr. Hope Roman.”
Lord help her, she wanted to give it to him. Right now, right here, he seemed so damn earnest about his words, but hell, he’d also sounded that way at the inn.
She needed space. “Is your number the same?”
If she hadn’t seen them she wouldn’t believe that this man had the capability to form tears, but damn it, his eyes glistened. “Yes.”
“I’ll give you a call when I’m finished and see if you’re available.”
“No matter the day, time, or location, Flykra. I’m available and I will come to you.” A one-shouldered shrug. “Or I’ll fly you to me.”
Her lips twitched. “I feel like you actually mean that.”
“As sure as we’re standing here.” He reached around her and opened the door before walking her outside, his hand a warm comfort on the small of her back. Mitchell slowed at the driver’s side of her rental. “Be safe, Hope Roman.”
She bit her lower lip before glancing at him over her shoulder. “It’s not winter, I should be fine.” Hope tried for a small smile to lighten the mood, but all he did was nod.
He reached out and cupped her face, his thumb brushing her cheek while his long, strong fingers skimmed against her neck. Need unfurled in her gut. No, that wasn’t true. What she had for this man far surpassed something so prosaic as need.
The look in his gaze nearly gutted her, so passionate, hopeful, wistful, with more emotions than she could name.
“Come home to me, Flykra.”
He stepped away and watched as she got up behind the wheel and backed out of the driveway. As she turned the corner at the end of the street, she could see he’d not moved and she watched in the rearview as he faded from sight.
Come home. Two words that held so much meaning. Far more than she wanted to think about. However, she could no longer ignore her own needs and desires.
Doesn’t mean I won’t think about the other two words he said. To me. Mitchell wants me to come home to him.
João must have been watching for her because the moment she drove into the parking lot near where he’d hopped out, the man climbed in.
“How was the make-up sex?” He waggled his eyebrows as he grinned.
“There was no make-up sex.”
“Really? I was there when he showed up. You two have an awful lot of tension between you. Perhaps it’s because you’re not doing the make-up sex thing.”
“Oh for the love of…stop talking about make-up sex!” She ended on a screech which, of course, attracted the attention of some townspeople who grinned and waved at her like she’d never been gone a day.
“Wouldn’t be so grouchy if you got some,” he muttered in Portuguese as he pouted, arms crossed over his chest.
She drove away, hating how blasted difficult it was to push the vehicle beyond the town line. Her hands shook so hard she had to pull over. For a few minutes, she sat there, hands tight around the wheel.
The crack of a bottle lid preceded the appearance of an open water by her mouth.
“Drink,” João commanded in Portuguese.
Her trembling didn’t stop, not even after she took some huge gulps of water. Luckily for her, her friend took the bottle away from her before she could spill it all over herself. She waited for his commentary but he didn’t say a word. He would let her find her own way out of the forest she’d gotten lost in.
Finally, in silence, she pulled onto the road, heading to the airport. Once they were on board, strapped in and waiting for clearance from the tower, João turned his head and frowned at her.
“What?”
“You’re being childish.”
“Am not.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her and she rolled her eyes, very aware that yes, in that moment, she was very childish.
“That man loves you and you left him there.”
“You don’t know what is going on between us, João.”
“Everyone knows. The whole town gossips about it. I love small towns. There are never any secrets.”
She glared at him. “You went to find out what happened between us?”
“Of course. How else can I figure out how to fix this and get one of my idols as a friend?”
Hope snorted with amusement. She couldn’t be mad at him. João had made no attempt to hide how in love he was with her player. No, not her player. He wasn’t hers nor was he a player any longer.
Right? He wasn’t hers.
Damn if she didn’t want him to be.
“And what did you hear?” She crossed her arms and waited as the plane taxied.
