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With a hand covering the mic, I whispered, “I love you too, but this is not the time for this conversation.”
His responding grin could’ve powered the entire state. With a mock salute, he moved to the side of the stage, where I’d come down once I wrapped up my speech.
Which I did so quickly now that Cal wasn’t standing in front of me, distracting me with his apology and his smile.
Though, by the time I finished, I was beginning to have second thoughts. He’d hurt me deeply, and I couldn’t just…forgive that, could I?
I mean, I’dfired him. Undoing that wasn’t going to be easy. But I was a weak woman, and god, I missed him.
The man from nine months ago who’d gone behind my back and tried to push me out from my own company wasn’t the same man standing before me now. He wasn’t the man who’d shown me more pleasure than I’d ever known, but also made me feel safe and treasured andwanted.
And it was clear Cal had done his homework in our time apart. Now, he saw me at last. There were no more secrets between us. Nothing holding me back from giving myself to him completely.
On shaky legs, I moved to the edge of the platform amid applause, but everything in me steadied when I found Cal waiting for me. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, a wide, sheepish grin on his face.
I practically threw myself at him. I was tired of pretending every cell in my body wasn’t begging to be in his arms again.
He caught me, anoofleaving him as I crashed into his chest.
“How about we go somewhere and talk?” he said quietly into my ear. I could only nod against him, barely holding back the tears I’d been fighting since he appeared in the middle of my speech.
I let him lead me inside the winery and along the familiar halls until we reached my office.
The place where it had all begun.
Seemed fitting that we have this conversation here.
Refusing to let go of him for even a second, the moment Cal sat down, I climbed onto his lap.
“You’re too long for this,” he said, though he cuddled me closer, one arm around my back, the other pulling my legs across his lap.
“You love me.”
“I do,” he agreed.
“What was it you said before?” I asked. “The rest is just bureaucratic bullshit?”
“Mar…” he said with a sigh.
“Before you launch into what I’m sure is a well thought out and carefully rehearsed speech, I need you to know I’ve already forgiven you.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t need to apologize.”
I nodded. “Get on with it, then.”
“Bossy, aren’t we?”
“Well…Iamthe boss.”
“Just…stop talking and let me say this.”
So I did. I sat there, curled on his lap, as he poured his heart onmylap.
“I went to visit my parents,” he began.
“I know. Owen told me.”
“You talked to Owen about me?”
