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“I’m saying you’re staying with me now. I’m not letting you go this time. I’m not a stupid kid anymore.”
Her eyes dart over my face. There’s makeup smeared beneath them, a reminder of everything that went on between us. How could she imagine that’s where we’d end? I thought she was supposed to be smart.
“Be serious, Colton.” This time around, she’s the one who tries to laugh it off. Like it’s all a joke. Now I understand how that could’ve hurt her years ago. Here I am, telling the woman she’s all I want, ready to kill her before I let her go. And she’s laughing.
“You think I’m fucking around? How can I convince you?” My grip on her arms goes tight until she sucks in a pained breath. “Do I need to fuck you again? Because I will if it gets the point across. You are not leaving me. You are never leaving me.”
“But…” Her voice softens, along with the fear etched across her face. “I don’t get it. You want to be with me? For real?”
“For real,” I murmur, lost in her eyes. She’s magic, pulling me under her spell even when I’m half-crazy with outrage and the knowledge that had I slept deeper, she would’ve gotten away. Sure, I could’ve easily found her, but that’s not the point.
It’s making sure she knows I’m not letting her go, something I should’ve made clearer last night.
But last night, I couldn’t know what it would be like, opening my eyes and seeing her standing at the door. The way my heart clenched. The dropping of my stomach. The sense of losing everything that ever mattered.
“But you’re… you. Why would you want me when you can have any woman in the world?” There’s that innocence again. I’m helpless against it. The last of my anger melts away—I release her, pulling her up until she’s sitting beside me.
“When I saw you step off the elevator last night, every other woman in the world ceased to exist.” She opens her mouth, prepared to argue, but I shut her up with a hand over her mouth. “Shut up and let me talk. You’re all I want. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. I understand now why no other woman has ever been enough.”
“Colton…” she mumbles, the word muffled. “Please don’t say things like that. Be honest.”
“I mean it.” Cupping her face, I draw her close. Fuck. She is so precious, so fragile and perfect, and so in need of my protection and adoration. I can’t believe I went this long without her. “Nobody could measure up to you.”
She covers my hands with hers, a smile beginning to spread. “I’m just me.”
Just her? Talk about an understatement. “You’re everything. I already knew you were special when we were kids, but I’ve seen some things. I’ve been places and I’ve met people, and time has only made you more special.”
“I wish I could believe that.”
“I’ll show you. Just tell me how. What can I do?” All she does is laugh in disbelief. “I’m serious. I’ll spend every day of the rest of my life demonstrating what you mean to me. How important you are.”
I can’t keep a slight growl out of my voice as I add, “How you belong to me and nobody else. Nobody is ever going to touch you but me. Morning, noon, and night. You’re mine.”
She bites her lip, and I know I have her. Because no matter what her so-called good sense tells her, there’s a deeper understanding at work. Part of her that understands the connection we have. How unbreakable it is.
“I didn’t want to leave,” she whispers. “I really didn’t.”
My heart’s going to burst out of my chest. It’s too full. “So why did you try?”
“I didn’t want to have to face you if you acted like last night didn’t mean anything. It would’ve killed me.”
“I could never.”
“I was afraid to take the chance.” Her hands slide up my arms until they reach my shoulders. Her touch is a balm, soothing me. Healing me. “Last night meant so much to me. I couldn’t stand finding out it didn’t mean as much to you.”
“You’re kidding?” I’m laughing as I lie down, bringing her with me. “I intend on making that our New Year’s tradition. Making you come as the clock strikes midnight.”
“That was pretty amazing.”
“And the ideal way to start a fresh year. A fresh life. The two of us.”
“This is crazy. You know that, right?”
“People told me I was crazy to expand the company into Europe. Here I am, my business thriving. My instincts are never wrong.” I press my lips to her forehead, her nose, her eyelids. My precious, precious girl. My goddess.
“What about my job?”
“What about it? You don’t have to work, ever. Not anymore.”
