Page 139 of The Romance Library

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I immediately clicked ‘YES’, and my heart thudded as I wondered what this meant.

Did it mean that Theo would call me? Or maybe I should call him to thank him for getting in touch.

Just as I was weighing up my options, there was a knock on the door.

My heart stilled, then raced. I knew who I hoped would be there, but that wouldn’t be feasible. Jane had probably just forgotten something.

I swung my legs off the bed, then rushed to the door.

When I opened it, my jaw dropped.

It was him.

‘Hi.’ He smiled. ‘I’m Theo from Eavesdropping Productions. I received a request for a live audio reading from a Ms Jessica Johnson, so I’ve come to deliver.’

I opened my mouth to reply, but no words would come out.

I wanted to throw my arms around him but was so shocked I couldn’t move. It was like I’d been superglued to the spot.

This was… unreal.

In a second I’d be fine. I just needed to get my bearings. And work out whether this was actually happening or if I was dreaming.

Theo stepped forward and leant against the doorway. It was only then that I realised what he was wearing. It wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen him in before, but he looked H-O-T.

Then again, he could dress in a bin bag and I’d still think he looked gorgeous.

‘I heard a backwards cap, fitted T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms was a thing with romance readers, so I thought I’d try it out. What do you think?’

‘I… I think,’ I said when I finally managed to speak, ‘that I’m so happy to see you.’

‘That’s a relief!’ Theo grinned and my stomach flip-flopped. ‘So I was hoping we could talk?’

‘I’d really love that.’ I nodded repeatedly.

‘Maybe it’s better in your room rather than in the doorway? Not sure how long I can keep up this pose!’ He laughed and the sweet sound caused a wave of butterflies in my chest.

‘Sorry!’ I stepped aside. ‘I’m just… shocked! I wasn’t expecting you to turn up. I wasn’t expecting the audio either and I… when I finished listening and it had that message, I thought, I hoped maybe you’d call, but I—’

Before I got a chance to finish my sentence, Theo crushed his lips onto mine and my whole body lit up like a firework display.

‘Fuck,’ I groaned as I parted my lips and gripped the back of Theo’s head to deepen the kiss.

It was hungry and frenzied, our lips and hands roaming everywhere like we’d been apart for decades.

Theo kicked the door shut and we stumbled across the room and onto the bed, neither of us daring to stop the kiss. It was as if our survival depended on our lips being fused together.

I didn’t know how long we kissed for. It could’ve been minutes. It could’ve been hours. All I knew was that it wasn’t long enough.

Eventually we both pulled away and Theo brushed his finger over my lips.

‘I’ve missed you so much, Jess. I shouldn’t have left so abruptly that night. I should’ve stayed. Talked things through. Reassured you that you didn’t need to be scared. That I wasn’t going to leave you. I’m sorry. I know you’ve got a lot on with the opening next week, so I was trying to wait until after then to contact you, but I couldn’t stay away anymore. I had to see you. If that’s not going to be good for you, then just tell me and I’ll leave now. I’ll wait. For however long it takes, but I just need you to know that these past couple of months without you have been hell and I want to be with you. I want us to be together.’

I was speechless before, but now I was convinced my tongue had been cut out. I had no words that would convey how I was feeling right now.

‘Too much?’ Theo frowned.

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