Page 125 of Just One Silver Fox

He strode toward the door then, the dog still tugging him. The dog barked again. She had a prosthesis on her front paw, but the injury didn’t seem to be slowing her down.

Kind of like Nate. The idea made Sonia smile. “Is this Sheba?” She crouched down, offered her hand and the dog’s tail wagged.

“Yes,” he said, as if he was relieved to have something to talk about. Sheba sniffed Sonia’s fingers then gave them a quick lick, her eyes glinting at she looked up at Sonia. “Where’s Nick?”

“I have no idea.” Sonia wasn’t that familiar with dogs, but patting Sheba gave her something to do. She patted the dog’s head, and Sheba immediately leaned into it, as if she wanted her ear scratched. Sonia did that. Sheba looked up at her and Sonia could have sworn the dog was smiling. “I don’t actually care.”

“But you did,” he said, something in his tone making Sonia glance up. His eyes looked dark and his expression was intense.

“That was a long time ago, and totally undeserved. I learned that at the Valentine’s Day party.”

He watched her intently.

“Was that the bark of joy?” she asked.

“Pretty much. How did you get here?”

“Tobias let me borrow his car and driver.” Sonia took a deep breath. “I can call him back if you want me to leave but can I come in for a minute?”

Nate gestured and she couldn’t read his expression at all.

The apartment was new and pretty much empty, on the second floor at the end of the building. Sonia guessed that there were two bedrooms. The windows wrapped around the three sides, facing the parking lot on one side and parkland on the others. It would be bright and sunny, and Sheba would have a great view. There were half a dozen boxes in the foyer that looked to be loaded with kitchen stuff and linens. A big new leather couch was against one wall and there was a television box against the wall opposite it.

“Just moving in,” he said unnecessarily. “I got the keys today.”

There was also a big plaid dog bed beside the couch, toys scattered everywhere and a lime green tennis ball on Nate’s shoes by the door.

Sonia took a deep breath, knowing that Nate was waiting for her to explain. “You should know that I’m wishing for everything,” she said with heat. “I’m dreaming big, Nathan Buchanan, and you should take warning.”

Nate didn’t say anything. He just waited, his attention fixed upon her. His eyes were darker than usual and the line of his lips was grim.

“You were wrong. This isn’t about pity or about being nice or anything like that. This is about finding the one person who understands you better than anyone, the one person who always has your back, the person who has seen all your flaws and cares about you anyway, the person you can trust with your deepest secrets, and the person you would fight dragons to defend.”

She saw him swallow, his gaze burning.

Sonia didn’t blink but her voice did catch. “I love you, Nathan Buchanan, and that’s for the duration, whether you love me or not. I love you the way I’ll never love anyone else.” She took a step closer. “I just came to tell you that. It seemed like something I should say in person, but if you don’t feel the same way, I’ll call for a ride back to New York and that will be the end of it. But I had to say it and I had to say it in person, and—” she smiled a little “—I had to take the chance and ask for what I want.”

He still didn’t move.

“I want to be with you,” she concluded and the words hung between them so long that she feared the worst.

Then Nate pushed his hand through his hair and looked away. “I was interested in you all along,” he admitted, his words husky. “But I fell hard the night of Pierce’s wedding.” He smiled at her and Sonia’s heart fluttered. “I was just afraid to go through that all over again.”

“Idiot,” she chided, blinking back her tears. “So, you lied to me.”

He winced. “It seemed like the best defense was for you to believe I still loved Trish.”

“But you don’t.”

“Nope.” Nate shook his head and smiled at her, the heat in his eyes making Sonia sizzle to her toes. “That ended when she walked away and showed her true colors. I love you, Sonia Olson. I was just afraid to hope.”

Sonia took one step and he took the other, then she was in his arms and he was kissing her like he’d never get enough. His fingers were in her hair and he lifted her to her toes, slanting his mouth over hers to claim her body and soul. Sonia backed him into the counter, knowing she’d never get enough. When he lifted his head, he buried his face against her throat, kissing her ear, then whispering. “I thought you wanted Nick.”

“I thought so, too, until Valentine’s Day. That’s when he showedhistrue colors.”

Nate pulled back to study her. “How so?”

“Do you really want to know?”

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