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“Penny for your thoughts.”
Omigod. How long had she been sitting there, gaping at him like some sex-starved wench, her imagination running wild? Holly didn’t know but judging by the grin glimmering in his beautiful brown eyes, definitely long enough for him to catch her staring and draw his own conclusions about what was going through her mind.
At least she wasn’t drooling, or at least she hoped not. Surreptitiously, she swiped her hand over her mouth and found it dry. Thank goodness.
Relieved, Holly picked up her coffee. “I doubt they’re worth that much,” she managed to reply before taking a sip of the cooling hazelnut blend.
Chace popped a pod into the Keurig. “I don’t know.” Snapping the lid shut, he placed his cup under the drip and pressed brew. “You looked pretty intense. I’m not sure you even blinked.”
Again, Holly wondered how flipping long she’d been staring. Didn’t matter. She just needed to change the subject. “How long have you been up?”
“Since about five.” He pulled his mug to his lips and blew on the steaming liquid. “Decided to go for a run, came back, showered, and here I am.”
Indeed, he was.
“Did you sleep well?” Chace asked, the grin returning to his eyes as he looked at her over the rim of his mug.
She met his gaze and arched her brow. “Did you?”
“Like a baby.” His grin widened into his cheeks. “Had a really good dream too.” He lifted his coffee and took a sip without taking his eyes off her. “I guess I have you to thank for that.”
Yeah, she guessed he did.
Asshole.
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”
“I let you walk away last night, didn’t I?” he countered.
“I wasn’t under the impression youlet medo anything.”
Chace leaned his ass against the counter and crossed his bare feet at the ankles. A shiver raced up Holly’s spine.
Damn his sexy bare feet.
“C’mon, Holly. We both know you wanted to kiss me just as much as I wanted to kiss you.”
“You’re delusional.”
Chace held her gaze. “I may be many things, sweetheart, but delusional isn’t one of them. Especially not after the way you looked at me last night and again just a few minutes ago.”
Bastard.
“But I get it,” he continued. “Yesterday dredged up a lot of memories. And feelings. Hell, I had to stuff my hands in my pockets all freaking afternoon to keep from reaching for yours.”
Holly’s stomach took a major dive to her toes. Doing her best, she tried to ignore the sensation and its implications. “It’s been eight damned years, Chace. We shouldn’t still have these feelings.”
“If we’d parted under less than amicable conditions, maybe we wouldn’t.”
“Like what? If I’d caught you cheating on me?”
His eyes narrowed into a frown. “Why do I have to be the unfaithful party?”
“Because then it wouldn’t have been so damned hard to walk away.”
Setting his cup in the sink, Chace pushed away from the counter and crossed to the island. Again, just like the night before. Only this time, she was sitting, so he turned the stool to face him and cupped her cheek with his palm. “I never cheated on you, Holly.”
“I know.” She swallowed past the enormous boulder lodged in her throat. “It probably wouldn’t have been any easier to break up with you if you had. Or hurt any less.” She fought the urge to press her cheek against his hand. “And just so you know, I never cheated on you either.” She pressed her lips together and decided to go for broke. “There’s never been anyone else but you, Chace.”
