Page 47 of Veiled

“I’ve been told I’m being an idiot.”

My brow furrows. “By who?”

“Jenny.” He still hasn’t unwrapped his arms from around his middle, looking shaky and tired. Sick almost.

My brow furrows more, and I cock my head to the side. “Doesn’t she call everyone an idiot? I’m pretty sure those were her first words when she met me.”

A flicker of a smile forms on his face, but it disappears so fast, I’m not sure if that’s what I saw. “She’s right this time. I am being an idiot. And apparently, Grady thinks so too.”

“Grady?” I ask, even more confused now. “Why does he think you’re being an idiot?”

He drops his arms from around his stomach and kneels, bracing his weight on my knees as he looks directly into my eyes. “Because I’m in love with you. Because I left, knowing I was in love with you. Because I didn’t think I deserved love. I didn’t think I had time for love and that eventually, it would fade. I don’t understand love without conditions.”

I swallow hard, looking into his eyes. Those are the words I wanted to hear. I mean the in love with me part. The rest just absolutely breaks my heart for him. I want to be strong, but I touch him. I brush my hand over his cheek, and he leans into it. “Love should never have conditions.”

His watery eyes meet mine. “I’m not an easy man. I’m stubborn, and I’m a little bit of a workaholic.”

I snort. “A little?” He smiles slightly, and I stroke my thumb over his lips absently. “So am I. I love my job, especially now that you found the perfect balance for me. You’re brilliant with those sorts of things, Waylon. You really think you can’t make time for love?”

“I want to. I’ve never wanted to before. I was busy and happy to be busy...” He leans further into my touch. “But I want to with you.”

I’m trying like hell to control my breathing, but it kicks up in excitement I can’t deny at his words. “My love for you has no conditions, Waylon. I love you so fucking deeply that nothing will change it. Not even you leaving me behind.”

“I didn’t want to leave you,” he says, the pain in his eyes a crippling weight.

“Why did you?” I have to ask the question, even if I’m starting to understand what the answer is.

“I was scared.” Yeah, that’s what I just realized. “My parents... I play it down. I always have. Said I didn’t need them. That they didn’t matter, but I really thought hard about maybe just trying to be what they wanted, so they would love me.” My heart aches for him so deeply, I can barely stand it. I pull him to me, onto my lap so he’s straddling my thighs. I grip his face with both my hands, needing more contact as he goes down. “I couldn’t do it. I left and told myself I didn’t need their love. That I didn’t need them. That I could have my career and I’d be happy.”

“You were happy. And you built one hell of a career,” I say honestly. Waylon is in the top tier of music managers. Everyone wants him. It’s what young musicians dream of, having Waylon as their manager someday.

“It’s not enough anymore,” he says, his eyes honest and true as he looks directly at me. “Not even close to enough. I love you. I’m sorry I left. I shouldn’t have.”

A smile takes over my lips, and my eyes are glistening with unshed tears now. “How the hell did we get here?”

He lets out a small watery laugh. “I don’t know. Apparently, Grady thinks we’ve been in love for a really long time. I didn’t see it though.”

I smile at that, thinking back to all our years together. Over him taking care of everyone around me but making sure I was taken care of too. Of bickering and arguing with him but still knowing he had my best interest in mind. Of looking up to him and admiring him, even though we were only a few years apart in age. Of being scared shitless to make my own decisions but him giving me the strength to do just that. He never told me what to do.

He was my guide.

“I didn’t either, but I think maybe he was right,” I say, leaning forward and brushing my lips over his. I can feel him trembling. “I’m in love with you.”

He smiles sweetly. “We can make this work. If you can forgive me for leaving, I’ll do everything I can to make it work.”

I kiss his lips softly and a tear finally falls from my eye and trickles down my cheek. “We’ll make it work.”

How I started the day so damn angry and now feeling so damn happy I could burst from it is beyond me.

But he loves me. He’s here.

And I’m so goddamn in love with him, I’m not going to argue.

Chapter Twenty-Four

WAYLON

“Yes. Fuck. Yes. There. Right there.” I’m a babbling, sweaty mess as Justin thrusts into my body, nailing my prostate over and over, but I can’t help it. I’ve missed the hell out of him. And not just the sex.

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