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“Help you?” His voice betrayed nothing to her and she was tempted to shake him, slap him, anything to get some sort of reaction from him.
“Write another one.” Again his face looked as if it were carved from granite. “After all, we were working on this project together.”
“Help you how?”
“I have another idea for the ending.” Her voice sounded strained even to her own ears. She was desperate to say the words her heart was screaming. “But I thought maybe we should research it first.”
“Research.” He repeated the word with such disgust, she considered running away. What if he rejected her and the new ending? What if it was too late to make amends?
“Yes,” she replied quickly before she lost her nerve, “I have part of it scripted out right here.” She handed him a sheet of paper from one of the numerous stacks on the dining-room table.
Glancing at the paper, Ross visibly blanched. “What the hell is this? Didn’t we try this before? What are you hoping for here, Jules? Another opportunity to kick me in the teeth?”
“No. Of course not, Ross.” A lone tear trickled down her cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you again. Ever again. Trust me. Please.”
Ross flinched as she tossed his own words from the cabin back at him. He’d asked for her trust and she’d given it—well, up to a point. Now she was asking for the same.
“Julia,” he started, but stopped as an anguished sob escaped her lips.
“Don’t call me that,” she whispered.
“What?” he asked.
“Julia,” she repeated. “Please don’t call me that.”
Whatever strength had gotten Ross to her apartment and through her front door seemed to slowly seep out of him as he dropped into the chair behind him.
“I don’t know what you want,” he said miserably.
“Just read the paper. Please.” She was well aware of the pleading tone in her voice, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to finish what he’d started in the cabin, the right way this time. He was silent for so long, she knew she’d lost. He would never forgive her.
“How can you not know how I feel about you?” he started, his voice flat. Startled, she glanced up to see him reading the words on the page she’d handed him.
“Every time I look at you, I see my past, present and future. All I want in the world is wrapped up in you. I love you, Jules. Dammit, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Crumpling the paper as the last words fell from his lips, Ross stared woodenly at the floor. He’d risked his heart for her again. Her courageous, handsome hero had given her his heart again. Only this time, she knew what to do with it.
She knelt before him. The tears she’d tried valiantly to hold in began to fall freely. This time she would answer with the words written in her heart.
“Ross,” she said, her voice trembling beneath the tears. “Oh God, Ross, I love you too. More than I can ever tell you. These past couple of months have been hell. I love you so much it hurts and I’m so very sorry. Please forgive me. I never meant to hurt you and I know I don’t deserve it but I swear if you’ll only forgive—”
No more words came as Ross’s lips descended on hers in a kiss that took her breath away. Julia clung to him as the kiss continued for minutes, maybe hours, both of them trying to prove their love with their lips, their hands.
When they finally parted, Ross laughed as Julia continued to cry—happy tears this time.
Helping her to her feet, Ross crossed the room to grab a box of tissues.
“Blow,” he ordered, wiping her dripping nose.
Following his command, she reached up on tiptoe to place a soft kiss on his cheek. “Please say you forgive me.”
“Jules, there’s nothing to forgive. I wasn’t totally honest in that cabin. I hid my feelings, hoping I could trick you into falling in love with me, rather than simply telling you the truth right from the beginning.”
“When did you realize you loved me?”
“Years ago.” His face broke into a self-deprecating grin. “Talk about your world-class fools. So much wasted time.”
“Well,” Julia answered smugly, “if you’ve taught me anything in the last few months, it’s that anticipation only makes the reward greater.”
