Page 132 of Mark my Words

I was miserable in Boston. And as long as he was in Chicago, I’d continue to be miserable. It was time for me to be brave and take the chances with my heart. If it meant quitting my job when I flew back to Boston and leaving behind the promotion that’d seemed so important a few months ago, I would. I’d do it for him. He was worth taking the risk.

Steeling myself with a deep breath, I pulled open the door and slipped inside, scanning the table numbers to find the number twelve his sister had told me they were seated at. Half the tables were empty, a crowd of people on the dance floor, but I hoped he was still there somewhere.

A loud whistle from the dance floor drew my attention, and a petite brunette waved wildly in my direction. I glanced behind myself, then back toward her. She pointed to the back of the room where a large bar was located and a small group of men in tuxes gathered off to the side. Frowning, I looked back toward her, shrugging as she continued to point. Obviously, she was trying to get my attention, and I felt like an idiot as I realized this must be Sam’s sister and her husband.

Hoping that their eagerness to help meant that Sam wouldn’t tell me to leave, I scanned the tables again, seeing the empty chairs around the one numbered twelve. Becca was still pointing at the back of the room.

I didn’t see him at first glance, but when I looked back, a dark-haired man was facing the bar staring at his phone next to the men in tuxes.

I hadn’t recognized Sam because he wore his glasses, but my heart ached when I saw how alone he looked. I’d caused that. I was supposed to be here with him, but we’d screwed everything up. I’d screwed most of it up, but I would ensure he wasn’t here alone now. Late was better than never, right?

Glancing back toward the dance floor, I saw the woman giving me a thumbs up and nodding her head, holding onto the arms of the man behind her, both watching me stand by the door like an idiot.

Sam’s attention was wholly focused on his phone as I approached him, terrified he’d look up and glance in my direction. I wasn’t sure what I would say, but I couldn’t let a little stage fright stop me now.

“Geez,” I cleared my throat as I stepped behind him, wiping my sweaty hands on my dress. “It’s a real cockfest over here, isn’t it?”

Probably not the most romantic line to lead with, but the corner of Sam’s mouth pulled up in a fraction of a grin as he placed his phone down on the bar, and I knew I’d gotten his attention.

“Yeah,” he smirked as he turned to face me, his eyes scanning down the form-fitting dress Chase had pushed on me before returning to my face. “But the real question is, who’s got the big dick energy?”

“Well, certainly not them,” I cringed as I hooked my thumb over my shoulder at the group of young guys doing shots at the other end of the bar.

His eyebrows rose, and I saw his hand clench in his lap like he was trying to keep himself from reaching for me. “And what about me?”

“Are you fishing for compliments, Langley? Isn’t your ego big enough?” It felt good to fall back into our usual banter, but he still hadn’t indicated that he’d wanted to see me.

He shook his head, standing up from his stool and taking a hesitant step toward me, forcing me to look up to maintain eye contact. He smelled good, exactly like I remembered. It sent a pang of intense longing through me as he continued to stare at me with a half-amused, half-annoyed look on his face, not unlike how he had looked at me a few months ago before all this started.

“What are you doing here, Kris?”

“Well—“ I cleared my throat, slowly reaching forward with my hand and grazing my fingers against the back of his hand. When he didn’t pull away, I hoped it was a good sign despite the serious look in his eyes. “I was invited. I’m a little late, but I hoped the invitation was still good. I heard you needed a date.”

“Hmm,” he hummed as he turned his hand and clasped my fingers, tugging me another step until our chests were just a hair’s breadth apart. “Took you long enough to get here. Were you washing your hair again?”

The fingers on his other hand reached up to toy with a curl that’d settled on my shoulder, my pulse going wild at his proximity.

“Yeah, you caught me. Hopefully, it’s not too late for me to join you. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. I’m just...sorry.” I was sorry for all of it, but I was afraid if I started confessing my sins, it’d all come out like word vomit and scare him away.

“I’m sorry too, but it still doesn’t explain why you’re here. You’re a little late if you’re here to fulfill some obligation to me. You made it clear where you stand. More than once.”

Shaking my head, I put my hand on his chest, resting it over his heart. It was pounding like mine was, so maybe he wasn’t as unaffected as he was trying to appear. “But I didn’t, Sam. I wasn’t honest with you. And I know I screwed it all up, and you probably don’t trust me. But I had to try. I had to come here to tell you in person that I...”

His expression wasn’t giving anything away, but his hand was still clenching mine as his eyes slowly scanned my face.

“That you?” he prompted, the fingers on his other hand tracing the sliver of my shoulder that was exposed above the neckline of my dress.

“That I...” my voice squeaked as I squeezed his fingers, tears pooling in the corner of my eyes. Clearing my throat, I tried again, taking in a stuttering breath. “I love you.”

My heart was hammering in my chest as he gazed down at me, not saying anything. He was completely silent, his face guarded but his eyes fierce, not breaking my gaze as his hand paused on my shoulder.

“I mean, I know I was a total bitch, and you didn’t deserve how I treated you for the last few months, but I’m sorry. And I’m an idiot, but I had to try. Because I hate not seeing you every day, and I hate that I pushed you away at every opportunity. I should have realized how I felt about you sooner and stopped trying to be afraid, but...”

“Shut up,” Sam growled, cutting off my nervous stream of verbal diarrhea as his hand slipped along my neck.

“But I...” I sputtered, my chin trembling as I tried to fight off the urge to burst into tears.

“Kristine, shut up,” he whispered as his hand slipped into the hair behind my head and tugged, forcing my head back. I was panting as he loomed over me, barely restrained energy pulsing through him as his jaw clenched.

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