Page 130 of Tempting the Player
“You’re welcome.” She tips her head up to kiss me quickly. “Well, keeping all that in mind, I wanted to do something to show you just how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.” Her hand flies up in front of my face as my lips part to speak. “And before you say it was your job, let’s just both acknowledge that you went way, way above and beyond.”
I keep my mouth shut. I don’t know if it’s an argument I’ll ever win. Was it different because of my feelings for her? Of course. But the bottom line is I was exactly where I wanted to be, doing exactly what I wanted. I don’t regret any of it.
She takes my hand and slips something cold and metal in it. I stare down at a silver key. “What’s this?”
“The key to this place. I’m returning it to your family.”
47
JANE
“Is it too much?”
He hasn’t spoken in what feels like hours but was probably only seconds.
“Of course, it’s too much. I know I can be a lot, and this is a lot. If you don’t want it, then I totally get it. I just wanted you to have the option. A sort of final say on what happens with this place.” I stop rambling and clamp my mouth shut.
“I can’t believe you did this. You said you had alittlesurprise.”
Crap. I knew it was too much. A normal girlfriend would have bought him a nice shirt or something. He turns and frames my face with both hands and drops his head to mine. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you or this.”
“So, it’s not too much?” I ask hopefully.
“It absolutely is too much.” His laughter is tight and strained and those hazel eyes I love so much stare at me in wonder and surprise.
I was prepared for this, so I have all sorts of logic on my side. “Consider it backpay. Now we’re even for all the months you wouldn’t let me pay you.”
“I know what this place is worth.” He cocks a brow at me.
“Well, you were underpaid. You saved my life. Backpay and a bonus.”
He shakes his head at me like he thinks I’m a little out of my right mind. “I’d burn this place to the ground to keep you safe.”
I know he means it. That he would sacrifice everything for me and the people he loves. Which is my final bargaining chip.
“Burn it, sell it, whatever you want. The point is that you and your brothers can decide this time. You lost a lot that you can’t get back, but this doesn’t have to be one of those things. Will you accept it? Pretty please.” I throw the last two words in as a plea. I can never tell him how much I appreciate him, but this building feels like a symbol of it.
His forehead drops to mine. “God, I love you. Your big heart and your generosity, and the way you have come into my life and made everything feel exciting again. I don’t know what’s next for me, but I know it includes you.”
He looks up at the building. “I can’t tell you what this place means to me.” Then his gaze flicks back to me. “Or what you mean to me. I love you so damn much.”
“I love you too.”
“I will accept it on one condition.”
My heart flutters in my chest. “Anything.”
“Move in with me.” His lips fight a smile and his eyes twinkle.
I shove playfully at his chest, laughter falling from my mouth.
Hendrick wraps his arms around my waist and kisses me. “Almost had you.”
“You do have me. All of me.”
* * *
A few weeks later, four wallflowers gather in the living room of their off-campus house. It’s just a house, yet it’s so much more. It’s the place where we became friends, where each of us fell in love, where we watched Jane Austen more times than I can count, studied together, drank wine, played dress up, cried, and laughed. Years from now when we’ve all graduated and started our lives, we’ll look back at this moment and remember that what we shared was special. A once in a lifetime kind of friendship. Or in my case, thrice in a lifetime.
