Ah, yes. Daisy Gallagher. “Nice to see you again, Daisy.”
Daisy stared back at him blankly, playing with her red side braid.
“Anyway, it’s late. And you’ve been out here all night, so I think I’m gonna crash.” Lauren forced a tight smile. “It was nice seeing you, though.”
He shifted on his feet. “We need to talk. I’ll wait out here till tomorrow morning, after you get a good night’s sleep, if I have to. It’s not like I’m actually getting any myself anyway.”
Lauren cleared her throat. “Did you need something?”
“Yes.” You. “I, uh, brought you flowers.”
Lauren gaped at Daisy.
Daisy glared back.
Finally, Lauren glanced back his way. “You don’t need to do this.”
“Yeah, I do. I’m sorry. I miss you. I’m sorry.”
Daisy nibbled on her lower lip, watching them with wide green eyes. “Uh…I’m going to go now.”
“Don’t,” Lauren said.
“It was nice seeing you,” Steven said at the same time.
Daisy gave him one last look. “I know where you live.”
“Duly noted,” Steven said drily.
After she walked away, Lauren crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “Stop doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Showing up at my place, trying to apologize. It won’t work.” She brushed past him, keys in hand, and ignored the flowers. He followed her closely—which she clearly didn’t miss. Her shoulders stiffened, and her hand trembled as she slid the key into the lock. “You said we were done, so we’re done. Accept it.”
He rested a hand on her doorjamb, directly over her head. “That easy?”
“It was for you, wasn’t it?”
“No. It wasn’t.” He gripped her hand. She still hadn’t gotten the key in the lock. Gently, he took them from her, slid it in, and turned it. “And it’s not that easy for you. If it were, you wouldn’t care that I keep showing up. You wouldn’t be scared of what I might make you feel.”
“I’m not scared of you,” she said automatically. “Someone once said only the things worth fighting for scare you.”
He flinched. “Turning my own words back on me?”
“If the shoe fits…” She lifted a shoulder and twisted the knob. When she turned and tried to shut it in his face, he inserted his shoe in between the door and the jamb. “Steven. Go away.”
“You’re not scared of me.” He rested his head on the wood, watching her from under lowered lids. “Or of what I make you feel?”
“No, of course not,” she said quickly, her cheeks flushed a fetching pink.
“Prove it. Let me in for one last game of truth or dare.” He held the flowers out, his heart racing. This hadn’t been his plan. This was impulsive, and out of his control, and not the ideal situation. But it just might work. “If, by the end of it, you still want me to leave, I’ll go. No questions asked.”
She hesitated. It was in her eyes, and her tight grip on the door, and in the way she watched him, like she was scared he might just prove her wrong. He was damn well planning on doing exactly that. “Why should I even bother, when I can simply refuse to let you in?”
“We’ve been friends for years. That’s a lot to just throw away.” He locked gazes with her and refused to let go. If she was going to send him away, and reject his attempts to make things right, she would look him in the eye and do it. “Please, Lauren.”
For a second, he thought she might kick his foot out of the way and slam the door in his face. She had every right to. But something he said must have changed her mind. She stepped back and opened the door. “Fine. Come in.”
Heartbeat pounding, he shut the door behind him. She headed toward her bedroom and kicked her heels off. She wore a tight red dress that made his mouth water, but he had to focus on the important shit tonight. He had to show her he could treat her right…
If she gave him the chance.
And he wouldn’t fuck it up again.
Chapter Nineteen
There was something in Steven’s eyes, and his voice, that no matter how hard she tried, Lauren couldn’t ignore. The simple words weren’t much, just him asking to play a silly game to prove something to her, but the emotion behind them punched her in the chest. Each word, each look, slowly melted away her anger and fear…
Until she found herself opening the door.
But now what was she supposed to do with him?
After she kicked her heels off, she tucked her hair out of her face and turned to him. He watched her with a fiery passion she couldn’t ignore. “Do you want a drink? Maybe ten?”