Page 37 of Never Going to Care

His voice is deep, fathomless and swirling with emotion, “You ran from me. Did you think I wasn’t going to come after you?”

“Took you long enough,” the sass drips from my words, but instead of it upsetting him and making his eyes harden as he looks at me like it did the first day, his lips kick up in a half grin.

“I wanted to give you space. I wanted you to understand that when we’re not together it’s bad.” He presses the hand he has in his grasp against his chest right where his heart is beating, and he presses his other hand against my chest in the same spot. “Right here,” he murmurs, “it hurts right here.”

I find myself nodding slowly. I’m not sure if I’m agreeing with his words or the promises they contain. Both. Definitely both.

“I don’t like it,” he insists. “I’m not going to allow it any longer.”

I arch an eyebrow in challenge. “You aren’t going to allow it any longer?”

Hale’s hand on my chest moves upward until he’s gripping the nape of my neck and pulling me a step closer. His voice drops an octave and wraps around me until the only thing worthy of my attention, of my thoughts, of my feelings, is him.

“No,” there is finality in the word. “I’m not going to allow it any longer.” He leans forward and his lips hover over mine. I desperately want to close the distance and press my lips to his. “You’re mine,” he growls, the sound coming from deep within him.

I squeak, “Yours?”

I’m mesmerized by the way his lips curve into a smile, wicked and soft, sinful and kind.

“Have dinner with me tonight,” it’s not a question and I wouldn’t say no even if it was.

“Yes,” the word is breathy on my lips.

I barely get it out before he kisses me and all the things which have been swirling and fighting for dominance within me since the moment I chose to sneak out of his place fizzle and disappear. How did I think I could walk away from him? Even if he hurts me.

Even if he never cares.

It’s worth it.

CHAPTER 13

HALE

This is the last first date I’ll ever go on; I’m 35 and having my last first date. The knowledge of that being true eases some of my anxiety about the whole thing. I’ve never been one to be nervous, but having her back in my home with me, sharing time with her when she knows how I feel, it brings out things in me I’ve never felt before.

We might have done things out of order, but I wouldn’t have it any other way with my woman. It was worth it. She’s worth it.

When I woke up the morning after Piper and Landon’s wedding, I knew she wasn’t there before my eyes even opened. I had prepared myself for the possibility that she would bolt. Well, I thought I had. It still stung and I had to fight the need to go to her and demand better. For both of us.

The idea of her was treating our night together like it was a one-night stand made me want to recoil, but I fought against the instinct. I hadn’t given her the words; she didn’t know she could trust me. I could understand that feeling.

I knew I had to give her some space. I was sure she wouldn’t hear me if I went to her too early and tried to get her to listen. I knew she had to feel it, the absence, the loss, the need. I knew because I could already feel it only moments after I opened my eyes that morning.

For the last five days I’ve been twice as gruff and grumpy with every person I’ve encountered. I couldn’t help it, even though I knew why it was happening. It was because I was missing her. My chest ached and no amount of realizing it would allow me to accept it.

I was biding my time before I could bulldoze my way into her life and her heart. I realized I had still held back, even as I held her in my arms. I held back because she did too. It made me question. It made me scared. I should have told her more, worked harder, made her see.

When I walked into a meeting today in the conference room, I was a glowering, growly mess. The guys were giving me furtive glances which were not helping. It wasn’t like they were anywhere as sneaky as they should have been.

It was Blaze who had enough, his voice like gravel, “When the fuck are you going to go and get your woman? Because I can’t keep doing this with you. It makes me want to punch you just to get a damn reprieve.”

I snarled at him, “You could fucking try.” He gave me a blank look and I crumpled like a house of cards. I sounded petulant as fuck. “I’m giving her some time.”

Owen, Barrett and Colt’s eyebrows shot up so far on their foreheads, I’m surprised they ever came back down. I just glared at them, daring them to say some shit.

Colt formed the words slowly, “You’re giving her time?”

“Yes,” I gritted out through clenched teeth.

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