Page 45 of Always Been You
“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m just… glad we found each other again. I… I care for you too much to ever hurt you, Lawliss.” The word love was on the tip of my tongue, but I stopped myself just in time. Her throat works around a lump, but no words come.
“You don’t have to say anything,” I whisper, tears stinging my eyes. Damn it. She makes me emotional, and I haven’t been that in years. But for her, I am willing to be vulnerable. “You mean the world to me, Lynx. You’re worth so much more than you know.”
She steps into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I kiss the top of her head, and we stay like that for a long moment, the warmth of her body against mine anchoring me.
“Thanks, Ed,” she murmurs finally, pulling back. “I needed to hear that.”
She smiles, blushing as she tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. The sight does something to me. It makes me want to kiss every inch of her. She has no idea just how much she affects me.
“Now, let me show you what I prepared. I have plans for my new boyfriend.”
“Did you just say boyfriend?” I ask, grinning as she drags me to the dining table, my heart full. Full of her. Full of this moment.
She stops in her tracks, and I instantly miss the warmth of her hands in mine. My eyes never leave her as she hesitates, almost like she’s scared of the answer. She was dragging me to only God-knows-where, and I know I’ll go to the ends of the world with her. She’s biting her lip, almost like she’s scared of the answer,
“Are we…” She closes her eyes and then opens again as if she’s willing herself to ask the question finally; she asks, “Are we dating now, Ed?” She asks instead; her voice is quiet, almost scared, and a hint of unease is in her voice of my reply.
“Yes, we are. If you want a ceremony today to be my wife, I wouldn’t mind.”
She sighs, shaking her head. “Ed… I’m agreeing to this, giving us a chance, because it’s you. I won’t lie and say I trust you completely because I don’t think I can trust you easily. But that’s what dating is, right? Learning to know and trust each other.”
I nod, watching the way her throat tightens, like she’s holding back emotions she doesn’t want to show. she continues, “We knew each other and relied on each other before, but there’s been so much time, so much change. I got married and divorced. You built an empire, among other things I don’t even know about. And you have this… ruthlessness to you now.”
Her voice softens as she adds, “I know it’s not directed at me. You need that to survive in business, I get it. But, Eddie…” She raises her head slightly as if bracing herself. “Please don’t hurt me. I don’t think I can survive another heartbreak—especially not one from you.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. I stand without thinking and cross the space between us, wrapping my arms around her tightly.
“I’ll never hurt you, Lynx,” I whisper into her hair. “If it were up to me, I’d take all the pain for you. I’m so sorry you had to go through any of it.” My mood sours, realizing the magnitude and impact her divorce has had on her. My jaw tightens, fingers twitching at my side.
The thought of her suffering at the hands of someone who didn’t deserve her makes my blood boil. If I ever cross paths with that bastard, he won’t even recognize the life he once had. I swear, anyone who played a part in breaking her will regret it. I’d ruin their lives without hesitation and rip apart everything they hold dear and not lose a wink of sleep over it. She doesn’t need to know that, though.
She pulls back just enough to look up at me. “Don’t ever lie to me, Ed.”
“I won’t,” I promise. The words are automatic, but my stomach twists. The weight of the truth I’m hiding—the papers she signed without knowing what they meant—hangs over me like a storm cloud. How do I tell her? How do I explain that, in the eyes of the law, she’s already my wife?
We break the hug, and I kiss her—soft, lingering, unwilling to let go. “I have plans for my new boyfriend? Partner? Lover?” She says with this mischievous grin while taking my hands and dragging me to the final destination, which happened to be the dining table, where she’s laid everything out; I can’t help but stare. This is a brunch sort of spread with vegetables, a plate of sliced mangoes and bananas, and a mix of fruit salad. It’s simple, but I love it.
“This is… just wow,” I breathe, taking the first bite of the scrambled eggs with bread. There’s this flavor in it, and it’s incredible, better than I expected. “I love it,” I say between mouthfuls.
“I’m glad you do,” she replies, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
“You picked up cooking again?” I ask, barely pausing between bites.
She shakes her head, her gaze dropping to the table. “I still hate it. But for some reason, I wanted to prepare something you liked.” Her voice falters slightly. “I hope I didn’t overstep.”
“Not at all,” I reply quickly, setting my fork down to make sure she sees how much I mean it. “I just don’t want you to tire yourself out. The housekeeper can handle that.”
She nods, her lips pressing into a faint smile. We eat in silence, the occasional clink of silverware filling the space. I love that it doesn’t feel empty. It just feels like us.
“So, what’s the plan for today, girlfriend, lover, partner?” I ask, following her line of questioning earlier, and she laughs a full brown laugh. The sound that feels like sunlight goes straight to my cock, and I have to shake myself a little so she doesn’t notice.
“Girlfriend, huh? Alright, boyfriend, you’ll find out soon enough. But first, finish your breakfast.” she says, and I chuckle, shaking my head as I take another bite. Yeah. Whatever she has planned, I know I’ll follow her anywhere.
Chapter Twenty -One
Eddie
We’re sprawled in the living room on the couch, Lawliss lying in my arms, her body warm and soft against mine. Neither of us has done much of anything today. No work, no meetings. Deadlines weigh on my mind, but I’ll tackle them later. For today, it’s just the two of us enjoying each other’s company like the world outside doesn’t exist.
