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His eyes narrow. “I got ahead of myself. It’s just I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you since I first saw you in that dress. You’re the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen. You always have been.”
“You didn’t remember me.”
“You have black hair and were twenty-three and I wasn’t expecting you to be you. You ruined me, you know. For other women. Ruined me. There wasn’t one that could keep my interest. None that could hold a flame to you. And I-I screwed up. But so are you by leaving.”
“I’m not.”
He’s not paying attention to that, he’s on a roll, and if I wasn’t hurting, I might fall for him more, if that were possible.
“Thing is, you’re not going anywhere. I’m not letting you.”
I cross my arms. “Maybe I’ll just go.”
“I don’t accept that. I’ll sue you if you do.”
“You can’t.”
“I’ll find a way.”
“Leland,” I say, “I’m no lawyer, but it’s not an offense to go.”
“I’ll think of something. Maybe theft because you’ve gone and stolen my heart, and it sounds like a terrible pick up line, but it’s not. It’s true.”
“I’m not leaving.”
My words penetrate his head, and he stares at me. “You’re not?”
“No. I’m not abandoning my new home and job, and I’m certainly not abandoning my friend.”
He nods. “And me?”
“I . . .”
“Because I mean it. You have my heart.”
Mine starts to go crazy and hope begins to curl through my veins. He . . . does he love me?
“Your heart, Leland?”
He stares at me and frowns. “I said that, yes.”
“You . . . you love me?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Sarah, that’s what I’m saying. I’m in love with you. I have been for a while. I’m just not used to this whole stupid love thing that I didn’t recognize it. And then . . . Christ,it makes you nervous and hot when it’s cold, cold when it’s hot. Unsure of yourself. Why the hell do you,” he stabs a finger in the air at me, “think I keep putting my foot in it? Love. Stupid, ridiculous love.”
My head is spinning and warmth blooms in my chest, and I start to smile. Because oh, my God, that’s what I’ve been doing. “It’s stupid?”
He touches my cheek, his hand lingering. “Of course, it is. Why do you think I’ve been an idiot? Because I went and fell in love with you. And it’s frightening, it topples you.”
“Leland . . .”
“And with you, sweet Sarah, it’s the most amazing, fantastic thing. If you’ll have me. I can’t let you go, I won’t. We belong together.”
“I’m not taking the job. I never said I was,” I say as I step closer to him.
“Do you think, given time, you’ll learn to love me back?”
I stare up at Leland.
