Treasured by Thursday(113)

“Hey.”

She glanced up from her meditative state to see Hunter standing in the doorway. He wore a turtleneck sweater and dark pants. His casual I’m not going to the office look. Looking at him physically hurt.

“Hey.”

He moved to the end of the lounge chair and sat. In his hand was an envelope that he nervously tapped on his thigh.

“Did you sleep well?”

They’d been reduced to small talk. “Can we please skip the niceties?”

His silence had her looking up. Hunter stared at the envelope in his hand.

“What is that?”

Instead of answering, he handed it to her.

She moved quickly, refusing to dwell and linger over what-ifs. Gabi removed the thick stack of official papers and unfolded them.

One word was all she needed to see.

“You filed for a divorce.”

She didn’t need to see any more and dropped the papers at her side.

He reached out and touched her foot.

She flinched.

His eyes met hers as he returned his hands to his lap. “It’s not what I want.”

“Last time I looked, the one who filed for a divorce is the one who wants it, Hunter.”

“It’s not what I want to do, it’s what I have to do.”

She bit her lip to keep it from trembling. “Mind explaining that? I’ve had a crazy week and playing on words is too much for me to process right now.”

He paused. “I met this beautiful, intelligent, caring woman who flat-out turned me down. My overinflated ego was mortally wounded and what did I do? I blackmailed her. I found any and every speck of dirt I could dig up and used it to get what I wanted. Completely disregarding what it would do to her.” Hunter’s self-degradation was a new twist, not something Gabi enjoyed seeing even if all he said was true.

“My inner selfish bastard took complete advantage of the situation and I brought you into my bed. Then I nearly got you killed, not once, not twice, but three times, Gabi. All for what? Pride? Money?” He ran out of words and lowered his head.

Her head started to bob. “You’re right . . . about all of it.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Except about bringing me into your bed. My eyes were wide open then. Did you seduce me? Maybe. I’d like to think I share some of the credit for that time.”

“I should have stayed away.”

“I like to think I made that impossible.”

A ghost of a smile passed over his lips. “I’m so sorry, Gabi. Sorry for forcing this marriage, for putting your life in danger.” His eyes lingered on her cast. “For bringing you so much pain. Giving you what you’ve wanted since we met is the only thing left for me to do.”

She picked up the divorce papers a second time. “You said this isn’t what you want.”

“It isn’t,” he said.

She looked at him and asked, “What do you want?”

“I want the impossible. I want to go back and do this over. I want to meet that beautiful, intelligent, caring woman again and slowly bring her into my world until she can’t see hers without me in it. I want to treasure her every day of the week, every month of the year. I want her to know that because of her, I want to be a better man . . . the kind of man that deserves her. The kind of man she wants for all her tomorrows.”

Moisture gathered behind his eyes as he spoke while hers spilled over.

This time when he placed a hand on her leg, she didn’t pull away. “I want to hear her tell me she loves me because she does, not because she’s forced to. I want to ask her to marry me, and stand before a minister or priest . . . a rabbi for all I care, and watch her walk down the aisle and freely join her life with mine.”

“Hunter . . .”

He picked up the papers and dropped them again. “I know this is a backwards way to go, but divorcing you and trying again is the only way any of this can happen. I will forever question our life if we don’t do this first.” He scooted closer and placed a hand alongside her face. “I love you, Gabi. I know I don’t deserve you right now, but I’m going to one day . . . God willing, you’ll take me up on my promise for tomorrows.”

Her heart kicked hard as she removed the space between them and placed her lips on his. He melted and drew her close. She opened to the invitation of his tongue and kissed him with her whole being. He loved her . . . wanted forever. And the knowledge of his feelings fueled her passion even higher.

“Take me inside, Hunter. Make love to me.”

He rested his head on hers. “One last time before I move out?”

She shook her head. “I’ll agree to the divorce, because your twisted view makes jumbled sense in my head. But you’re not moving out.”