Page 66 of The Masks We Wear

He shakes his head, “That isn’t true. I said things I didn’t mean and I came here to fix things. Please, all I’m asking is just for you to listen. I’m not asking you to forgive me, I just want you to listen to me.”

I consider his request, wanting so badly to be able to say no, to be strong enough to not get hurt again, but I inevitably crumble. “Fine, talk,” I force as much attitude into my voice as possible, hoping to make up for my faltering strength with aggressiveness.

Harvey gives me an appreciative smile before he speaks, hisvoice earnest, “My entire life, I’ve been running away from things when they get too hard or too serious. I went to the military when I realized I was going to be responsible for Lucy, I sold my security company when I realized it was getting bigger than I could handle, and I ran away from you when I realized I love you because I was afraid of being vulnerable. But I’m not running anymore. I came back because I love you and I know I hurt you and broke your heart but I haven’t had mine with me since I left because I left my heart with you.”

My hard expression crumbles at his admission and a betraying tear rolls down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away but it’s no use, he already saw it. He continues, “I lied to you, Brody. I lied when I said this was just physical between us because it never was. I knew the minute I met you in your kitchen, the night you were rummaging around for alcohol in the refrigerator, that you were mine. I’ve always gone with what was safe in my life, but you made me realize life isn’t worth living if you live it playing it safe. You were never a safe option to me, yet I wanted you like I’ve never wanted anything else before. You’re stubborn, quick witted, and dedicated to what you do. You like to wake up at ten in the morning and watch mob movies that you’ve already seen hundreds of times. You hate Kiss and you hate Eric Singer even more, for reasons you have yet to divulge with me, and most importantly Brody, you’re everything I’m not. You made me realize that there’s more to life than the safe options and that means everything to me.Youmean everything to me.”

Tears free fall down my cheeks. “What made you change your mind?”

He takes a step closer to me, slow enough so that I could stop him if I want to but I make no move to stop him. “Being away from you, being without you for a week has been torture. I feel empty inside and every time I closed my eyes I saw yourface after I told you I was terminating the contract. I knew immediately when I walked out that door that I was making a mistake and that I was leaving part of my soul behind. You’ve woven yourself into the very fabric of my being and not being with you has made me feel a pain I would never wish on anyone else.”

My voice cracks, “Imagine how I felt to get told I was just sex to you and then to get left behind.”

He looks at the floor. “I can’t imagine how I made you feel and I don’t expect to make it go away with just an apology. I hurt you. I broke your heart and I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn it back.”

I shake my head, rubbing the tears away from my cheeks. “We wouldn’t work, Harvey.”

“Why the hell not?” He raises an angry brow.

“Because we live in different states and you can’t leave because of Lucy. I can’t leave LA because of work,” I remind him. His brows soften and he smiles. “What’s amusing about that?” I ask, tears in my voice.

He laughs, “Brody, I’m moving to LA to be with you.”

My eyes widen and I gasp, “What?”

“I know you haven’t forgiven me yet and that’s okay. I’m gonna earn it back over time and we have time now that I’ll be in LA with you,” he promises.

I can’t stop the sob that wracks through my chest. “What about Lucy? Your mom?”

He hesitates to walk closer to me, worried I may tell him to stop, but I don’t. I let him get closer and closer until he cups my cheeks and presses his forehead against mine. He looks into my eyes with his dark, onyx colored eyes and announces, “They’re moving to LA too. Lucy isn’t happy at her school and my mom will go wherever I go, considering she depends on me for money. Being in LA would be good for Lucy anyway. She feelslonely because of my travel for work and she misses me. This new work opportunity will allow me to stay in LA. I won’t have to travel and I can spend more time with Lucy andyouif you’ll let me.”

“You’re moving to LA for me?” I ask even though he already just explained everything.

He nods and kisses the tip of my nose. “I’d move to Hell to be with you, Little Rockstar.”

“What’s the work opportunity?”

He smirks, “Remember my security company?” I nod and he continues. “I sold it to a friend of mine but it turns out it’s getting too big for him too. He wants me to partner with him and run the company, something I should’ve done years ago. He’s branching out the business and has one job he wants me to take care of for the next year or two. After that, I’m back in CEO mode.”

“What’s the job?”

“He didn’t give me the details yet.”

I laugh through my tears, “You accepted a job without getting the details? That’s very unlike you.”

He laughs, his lips only an inch from mine, “Being in love with you has made me do a million things that are very unlike me, and I regret none of them.”

I glance between his eyes and his lips and taking that as opportunity enough, he closes the distance between our mouths and captures my lips in a searing kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and his hands lower to my waist, pulling me so that the distance between our bodies closes.

His tongue runs along the seam of my lips, seeking entrance and I allow it, tasting the saltiness of my tears on his lips. Our tongues find each other and I moan into his mouth, savoring every moment of him. I’ve missed him so much it hurt. From his scent to his smile, the crease that forms between his browswhenever I say something questionable or whenever he’s lost in thought. I’ve missed it all so much. I won’t forget the pain, how bad it hurt when he left me, but I know he won’t stop until he’s proven to me he’s truly sorry.

“I love you,” he breathes into my mouth.

I smile against his lips, “I love you, too.”

He smiles back at me, kissing me chastely before promising, “I’m never leaving again. You’re stuck with me now, Little Rockstar.”

I laugh, “I guess there are worse things to get stuck with.”

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