Page 38 of When You Were Mine

Is it her?

Shit. Yes.

It’s Elzy.

He could not let her go. “Meet you back in the room?”

“Sure.”

He took off, his boots smacking on the hardwood floor. He had no idea what he’d say, no plan for what to do. He only knew that his Elzy was there, and he had to be with her.

But the moment he caught up with her in the hallway, her eyes flared. She looked trapped.

And that confused him. How could she not be as excited by the outrageous alignment of their paths crossing here in Iceland?

Of being together again?

Her steps faltered, and her path arced around him like he was a feral animal or a steaming pile of crap in the middle of a sidewalk.

Holy shit.

He hadn’t expected that reaction.What do I do?He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. He should back off, leave her alone.

She strode past him, leaving him in a soft, subtle cloud of her perfume.

But he couldn’t let her go. Not when he’d just found her. “Elz.” His voice came out a hoarse, raw whisper. And yeah, maybe he sounded a little hurt.

But she wouldn’t even look at him. She just hurried past.

He had to fix it. He had to make it right.

He took off after her. “Elzy.” He said it sharply this time, demanding an acknowledgment. “Can you stop for a minute?”

“I’m afraid not. I’m really busy right now.” She tossed it over her shoulder as if he were a stranger on the street asking for a handout. “I’ll see you at ten.” She stopped outside her door, pressed her key to the pad, and slipped inside.

Did she plan on spending the next couple of days avoiding him?No. Without thinking, he kicked his leg out. His boot slammed against the door, stopping it from closing.

He was pretty sure her alarmed expression mirrored his.

She stood there wild-eyed, confused. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t know.” He really didn’t. He wasn’t a violent man. He wasn’t aggressive. He just…This is Elzy. My Elzy. I have to see her. I have to talk to her. “But that fucking door was in the way.”

“You’re not James Mackintosh, leader of the clan, you know. This isn’t a movie set where you drag me back to your lair.” She flapped her hand at him. “Just go.”

“Not until we talk.”

“Well, I guess that answers my question.” She sounded exasperated.

“What question?”

“About whether being a movie star turned you into an entitled jerk.”

“Entitled? Elzy, we haven’t seen each other in thirty years and seven months, and you don’t think it’s crazy that we both wind up in this exact hotel in Iceland at the same time?”

“Where I get to plan yourwedding? Yes, Trevor, thatispretty crazy.”

The stark pain in her eyes gutted him, and he crashed. The rush of adrenaline, the compulsion to see her, it all just burned out. “It’s not what it—” But he shut his mouth. Because he couldn’t tell her the truth until he talked to Darby first.

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