Page 73 of My Heart Before You

The recliner was now nestled into a seating area with a couch, a wingback chair, and a coffee table over a grey-blue patterned floor rug that ironically matched the color of Colin’s eyes. A large professional photograph of what looked like a North Carolina beach was hanging on the wall above the piano in addition to other photographs of beach dunes or mountain landscapes on any of the open walls in the living room. A small custom woodwork table resembling a slice from a fallen tree sat under the windows adjacent to the kitchen with two gorgeously constructed wood chairs.

“I’ve added some things since you were here last.” His voice held a shy quality.

“I like them.” The condo now reflected his easygoing charm. She walked toward the fireplace and ran her hand over the back of the couch.

Colin seemed to be lost in the sight of her palm flowing over the taut fabric for a breath before he cleared his throat. “I think I have a bottle of wine somewhere.”

When Emilie had been here before, she’d seen the pictures on the bookshelves, but didn’t really focus on them. Taking her time, she looked at each photo. When she saw one of a younger version of Colin with two adults, her fingers picked it up.

“Are these your parents?” she asked, knowing the answer.

He arrived behind her. “Yes.”

Emilie said what was in her heart as she returned the photo. “They are beautiful.”

“They were amazing people. I’m lucky to have been their son.” He outstretched a mug to her. “Sorry, I didn’t think to buy wine glasses.”

The sweetness of being offered a mug full of wine tugged at her chest. For as much as Colin was strong and capable, he was also helpless in little endearing ways. “That’s okay.” She smiled before she took a sip.

He watched her mouth as she swallowed, and she had to fight the impulse to set her mug on the bookshelf and twist her fingers through his hair.

“Would you mind?” She glanced at the couch. “I want to talk to you about something.”

She’d thought excessively about it, talked with Nia about it, and knew she was ready to take this step.

Colin cautiously crossed to the couch in a controlled way, and sat as far away from her as he could.

“I really appreciate how much you listen to me. It makes me feel safe and respected.”

His gaze focused intently on hers, waiting on her to continue.

“I think somewhere after telling you about my past, we misunderstood each other. Somehow our wires got crossed. I want us to be able to talk to each other honestly. To be able to ask for what we want from each other. What I want . . .” She took an inhale. “. . . is to stay here tonight if that’s something you want too.”

Desire crept easily into his eyes as the implications of her words were quickly processed by his brain. They searched over her face before settling on her lips. “Are you sure?”

The rapid beating of her pulse throbbed in her neck as she felt the entirety of her skin flush. All she wanted right now was his weight against her, but he hadn’t moved from his position, much too far away. She set her wine down on the coffee table, moving to lean a hand onto his knee, giving her leverage to reach his lips. He stayed very still as she barely brushed her lips to his. “Yes.”

Any resolve he’d been harboring, she’d obviously broken. Immediately setting his mug down, he leaned back, pulling her body fully on top of his. His mouth passionately explored hers while the very hands she’d been so preoccupied with all dinner swept over her body in a perfectly possessive way. Emilie lost her breath as pressure and heat and connection built inside her.

He hoarsely whispered to her lips. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve been right here.” She pushed against his shoulders to sit up and focus on his expressive eyes. “Why did you go back to square one?”

Colin reached a hand up and ever so gently pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I didn’t want to chance upsetting you. I never want to hurt you like I did again.”

The sincerity in his gaze made her breath catch as vibration ran down her arms to her fingertips.

“Colin.” She laid both of her hands over the center of his crisp button-down shirt, and his eyes slowly blinked at her touch. “You hurt me when you stopped talking to me after I was honest with you, not because you wanted this.” Her eyes darted between the two of them.

They stared at each other for a brief, tense moment, both of them taking short, expectant inhales.

“I think we need to be better about telling each other what we want.” She leaned forward, bringing her lips to his, never moving her hands from his chest. “I’ll start. I want this. I wantyou.”

This time when their lips met, she knew he understood. His kiss had a slow burning depth that found the far reaches of her and grasped them firm. As his arms wove around her, she noticed something else in his kiss that she couldn’t quite understand. Something that hid at the fringes of her mind like a butterfly flitting just out of sight.

Colin slowly leaned his weight forward until she was pushed back into the couch before stepping off of it. Bending down with the softest kiss to the side of her neck, he thread his arms beneath her shoulders and under her knees, deftly lifting her up and carrying her across the room to his bedroom.

???

---