Page 61 of Mine Forever
Hope, fear, desire, hurt, surprise.
“What do you mean?”
I cup her face in my hands. My thumbs stroke the soft skin of her cheekbones, her eyes sliding closed for a brief moment before opening again.
God, she’s beautiful. Stunning.
And it’s more than just her physical looks. She stuns me with her understanding and lack of judgment when that’s all I ever saw in the months after the accident.
Why did I ever let her go?
“I mean you, Eden.”
FIFTEEN
eden
I’ve dreamedof this very scenario more times than I care to count.
The day when Chase tells me how much he missed me.
That he was stupid for letting me go all those years ago.
He’d profess his love, sweep me off my feet, and give me mind-blowing, toe-curling orgasms forever and ever, amen.
Instead, I’m tongue-tied and frozen to the spot.
Chase leans in closer, his rough, calloused hands cupping my face, his breath hot against my lips.
My heart beats against my ribs in anticipation of his kiss that always weakened my knees.
His gaze is intense and full of emotions.
There’s a war inside him, one he fights alone. Every damn day.
It’s the burden of surviving something he thinks he had the power to change.
I want to help him lighten the load, but he’s still too deep in that guilt for me to reach him.
His gaze flicks down to my lips before he steps away. Thewarmth of his hands disappears when he drops them to his sides.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”
He stops and I can see him trying to collect his thoughts.
And when he does, anger sparks from his whole being, making his voice hard and unyielding.
I can’t tell if his anger is with me or not.
“Once upon a time I’d jump for a chance at something like your charity event. Anything for that limelight. But now?” He shakes his head. “I can’t face it now. I can’t put myself out there for you or for the paparazzi to tear me apart again. I won’t let them put this town in the spotlight, either. These are good people here. I won’t subject them to that again.”
Panic and hurt seep into my bones, but I grab on to the one thing I know I could promise him. “Listen, I can’t help what happens here, but I’ll have extra security, whatever you need to keep the vultures away from you.”
His sigh is deep and laced with swear words he mutters under his breath. “I’m sorry. I just can’t, Eden.”
Pain slices across his face, and now I see clearly that this is torture for him.
I didn’t realize when I came here that the extent of my favor would be so traumatic for him.
