Dylan’s Redemption(44)

Tonight, he wanted to spend time with her. Maybe hold her hand. Find a way to break through the walls she’d erected and fortified with her refusal to talk about the past, or a possible future together.

He walked into her office without knocking. No sense giving her a chance to say no to him without him even asking her anything. “Hey, Jess, how was your day?”

She looked up from her computer and swept her gaze over him from his face to his boots as he closed the distance between them. “How did I know you’d show up tonight?”

“Admit it, you were hoping I’d show up. That’s why you stayed and didn’t go home.”

“I’m working.”

She tried to hide the fact she hoped he’d show up, but he caught the hint of a smile she turned into a frown and the appreciative glint in her eyes when she’d seen him walk through the door. He still affected her. The same way she affected him. Every time he saw her, he wanted, needed, to get closer. Like now, he’d like to walk around her desk, pull her up out of her chair and straight into his arms for a kiss.

“We have to go, or we’ll be late.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Dylan.” She drew out his name with a world of exasperation behind it.

“Don’t do that. Don’t blow me off for no reason.”

“There are a dozen reasons this is not a good idea. We had something. Once. It’s over. It ended in disaster. We can’t just go back to being friends the way we used to be and forget everything that happened between then and now.”

“Great. Then we are on the same page.”

“I don’t even know what planet you’re on. You show up here with flowers and dinner this past week and you act like we’re on a first date or something.”

“That’s exactly what it was. You know, two people who see each other for an hour or two and get to know each other.”

“We know each other. We have a history.”

“It’s been years. For all intents and purposes, Jess, we’re strangers. I don’t know anything about you except our past. You don’t know anything about me. All I’m trying to do is get to know you now.”

“Why? To what end?”

“Because I like you and want to get to know you better. Because you’re the only woman who ever made me feel the way I do when I think about or see you. Jess, I’ve missed you. I want my best friend back.”

“She’s gone, Dylan. Don’t you get that? She isn’t me anymore. So much has changed. Everything is different now. Why can’t you just accept that and leave me alone?”

“Maybe I would if I didn’t have a world of hurt to make up for causing you.” That strange look came into her eyes again. Every time he even mentioned their past, her eyes darkened with fear and such anguish he felt it like a punch to the heart.

“Dylan, please.”

“You are really making me work for this.” He held up his hand to stop her from protesting further. “Answer one question.”

“What?”

“If whatever it is you still need to tell me didn’t hang over us, would you want to see me?” He held his breath for the answer. If she said no, he’d have one hell of an uphill battle to change her mind, but he would. Eventually. He’d keep trying until he did.

She let out a heavy sigh. “Yes. But it doesn’t change—”

“Stop with yes. Okay, so let’s make a deal. You have something you want to tell me, but you don’t feel like you can because of what I did to you.”

“Your mother is the one who sent me that email and said some things on the phone that made it clear you didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“As I told you, lies. I’m sorry she did that. I’ll make it up to you. In order to do that, I need your cooperation. Let’s put the past on hold. We won’t talk about it until you’re ready.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re asking me to spend time with you, rebuild our friendship, and then you want me to tell you the worst thing that has ever happened to me, knowing it will hurt you and you’ll hate me.”

“That is not going to happen. Ever. But you don’t believe that because I left you and you think I’ll do it again. Give me a chance to prove to you that will never happen.” He put it all on the line and added, “Otherwise, it’s just you and me right here, right now. Tell me what happened. You’ll see, it won’t change anything.”

She bent her head, stared at her hands in her lap, and sighed with such resignation his chest went tight.