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Part of me wishes that it had taken longer.
I still don’t feel like I have my mask back in place, but I can’t stall any longer. I swipe my key in the door and push it open to see Eden standing in the living room, staring out the window at the Las Vegas skyline.
“Food’s here,” I say, letting the door fall closed behind me and tossing the paper bag onto the counter.
I hear sniffling and my head jerks up in time to see Eden brushing tears off her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” I ask and I forget all about keeping my distance and trying to remain professional with her.
I wrap her up in my arms and hold her against me, trying to calm her down. Her fingers curl into my shirt and she holds me to her. Like I would ever push her away.
She cries for a few minutes before she gets herself under control and wipes her face clean. Her usually pale skin is now pink and blotchy, but she still looks perfect to me. Her big green eyes are wet and seeing the sad look in them breaks my heart.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask softly.
She wavers, looking unsure and I want to grab her shoulders and shake her. I want to demand that she tell me right now what’s upsetting her so that I can destroy it.
What she says next shocks the shit out of me.
“I wanted to say yes. I wanted to marry you.”
TEN
Eden
I hadn't expectedhim back to the suite so soon. If I had known he was close, I would've been trying to think about what to do next. I'm questioning whether or not I can keep working for him. Not when I feel like this.
Everything hurts and I’m not sure that I can see him every single day and not have it feel like my heart is being ripped out. Do I really believe that I can go back to New York, back to working with him so closely? It was hell just to walk back here to the hotel room with him.
When he said he was going out for food, I had been relieved. Then heartbroken. Was he just leaving because he didn’t want to be alone with me? Does he think this is awkward, too? Does he want me to quit?
When he asks me what’s wrong and takes me into his arms, all is right for a few precious seconds. The truth is on the tip of my tongue and I want so badly to say the words.
I love you. I want to marry you. I want you to want me.
I had let him hold me, let him comfort me as I cried into his shirt.
Then it hits me.
This could be the last time that I see him. I can’t keep working for him, not now that I know I love him. So what do I have to lose? Why shouldn’t I tell him the truth now? At least I would know how he felt for sure.
Before I can second-guess myself, I wipe my face clear of the tears, and look up into his stormy blue eyes.
“I wanted to say yes,” I swallow hard, forcing out the rest. “I wanted to marry you.”
Alexander is shocked. The look on his face would be comical if we had been talking about anything besides my heart and future happiness.
“I just thought that you should know,” I say after a minute when he still hasn’t responded.
I go to take a step back from him but he stops me. He fingers wrap around my shoulders and he holds me rooted in place.
“Say that again?”
I gulp. I barely got the words out the first time. Now he wants me to say it again?
“Eden.Please,” he begs and I finally notice the look on his face.
He looks almost… hopeful.
