Dumping the brown bag on the counter, I tended to my puppy first. She seemed lighter than I remembered, and since she’d only weighed around three pounds before she went missing, I worried that she was malnourished. I filled her water bowl while Harrison leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest, not taking his eyes off me.
Unnerved, my hands trembled lightly while I took some extra chicken from the fridge and shredded it. My heart was beating so fast, I wondered if he could hear it above the ticking of the kitchen clock. I tried to ignore him and pretend he wasn’t staring at me as if he wanted to pin me to the wall and fuck me. If that was the reward he was after, he was wasting his time. I’d feed him too, but that was as far as it was going.
Since I’d walked out of his place, I’d done a deep introspection into my life. I'd analyzed my failed relationships and thought about what I wanted, my brain working non-stop. Eventually a clear vision of how I wanted my life to be had formed in my mind—I knew exactly what I wanted. It couldn’t be Harrison.
I simply wasn’t going to get my heart broken by a man who was unable to commit to a relationship. I wanted a family—with at least two kids, and in three months I was turning thirty-five. The biological clock was ticking hard and fast.
“You’re a good woman, Eva.”
“What? Where did that come from?” I whipped my head around to stare at him. I'd avoided eye contact since he walked in and now I couldn’t stop myself gaping.
He took a step closer, standing only a foot away. I stared at his chest, unwilling to look into his eyes. He reached out and gripped my chin, tilting my face to his. I stared at his mouth, wanting to taste it so badly. His lips curled up at the sides and made my stomach flip.
“I hope I'm not too late?” he said softly.
What did he mean?
“I tried to ignore everything you said until I just couldn’t lie to myself any longer. Can you forgive me?”
I sucked in a quivering breath, trying to slow my breathing and my galloping heartbeat.
What for?” I asked, having learned a long time ago to not make assumptions.
His lips twisted into a wry smile. “For being a total fucking idiot. I know it's asking a lot.”
Finally I looked into his eyes. It took my breath away. For the first time it wasn’t lust and scorn filling those blue orbs. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it made my heart sing.
“I’m the forgiving kind—if it's genuine.” I said, careful with my words. I wasn’t placing any bets on the outcome of this conversation yet.
“Eva, you drive me fucking crazy. Everything about you—I can’t get you out of my mind. I’ve tried . . . believe me.”
“Oh yeah? So why are you here then?” He confused me and I didn’t like how it made me feel.
“Too tell you that I want a chance with you. That I want to start over.” His thumb caressed my lips. “Because I miss this mouth.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips over mine. An electric current ran from my lips to my core, setting me on fire.
“Because I miss you.” His breath was hot on my ear. Thousands of prickles scattered over my skin.
“You . . . you missed me?” My breath hitched.
“I did. I missed all of you.” His hand ran up my back, all along my spine, eliciting a shiver. “I missed your smile.” He pulled me to him and kissed me, slow and tender. His hand floated over my ribs until he cupped a breast. “I missed your softness.” He squeezed my flesh; I couldn’t stop the moan escaping my lips. “And I missed fucking you.” I smiled; he wasn’t holding back.
“But most of all . . . I missed just being near you.” His voice was gruff and low.
I was up so tightly against his chest, I thought he’d crush me to death with his brutal strength. “I don’t want another day without you. Not. A. Single. One.”
“Is that right?” God, every word from his mouth was exactly what I wanted to hear.
He growled. “It is. Eva, I want you to be mine. Tell me I'm not too late. That I haven’t lost you by being a fucking dick.” I liked how he wasn’t mincing words. I wasn’t one for games.
“It took you long enough to work that out,” I reminded him.
He laughed. “Because I am a man. We are sometimes stupid. We need a swift kick under the ass. You gave me that.”
“Glad I could help. I’ll send you the bill,” I teased, still trying to process everything he was saying. And besides, I wasn’t going to make it that easy for him.
“Be mine, Eva. Only mine? Because I want to be only yours.” He stared into my eyes. Every trace of doubt was erased from my mind. I saw into his soul—his truth lay bare before me.