Page 56 of The Wrong Drive

My pulse jumps in my throat, and I squeeze my eyes shut.It can’t be. It really can’t be. It’s impossible.

“Em…”

My heart explodes in my chest as my eyes flutter open, and I finally peer up at the man standing a couple of feet from me. Turner stands there, holding a glass of champagne, and sportinga fuckingsuit.His hair is longer on the top and slicked back, ink scrawls up his neck and down his hands. His dark eyes are as intense as always, but…

They’re filled fully with warmth.

“What are you doing here?” I manage to choke out, half tempted to pinch myself to make sure I didn’t just drink a few too many.I’ve only had one.

“Well,” he chuckles. “It took me a little longer than I thought it would, but this seemed as good of a time as any to catch up.”

I shake my head at him, my knees feeling weak with emotion. “You never called.”

“No, I didn’t.” He admits in a flat tone, downing the rest of his champagne and setting it on one of the small tables. “If I would’ve called, you wouldn’t have stayed away—I wouldn’t have stayed away. I had to have time to fix myself, Em. I followed through, but I had to do it on my time.”

“Still, you broke my heart,” I reason as he takes a step closer.

“Yeah, and I’m sorry, but it was better than accidentally killing you.” He says the words with a confidence that’s new and unnerving. “As it turns out, I was able to get everything I needed. Well,almost.” He brushes his fingers down my arm.

But I don’t budge, even as the familiar arousal pours through my body. “You can’t just come back.”

“I can.” He gently grips my chin. “I know you still love me, Em. I’ve kept eyes on you the last few months, and you haven’t moved on.”

“You’re making assumptions.”

He chuckles. “Am I?”

I suck in a sharp breath at the woodsy scent filling my lungs. “So, you’re just all better now? All ready to make it work now that I’ve gone through everything alone?”

A flash of remorse fills his expression. “You and I both know, it would’ve never worked out like that. I was in love with you, butI couldn’t be what you needed. Sometimes,” he brushes his nose against mine. “Sometimes, loveisn’tenough.”

“You used the termwas,” I say, breathing out as I close my eyes, battling all the emotions and all the questions I want answers to.

He chuckles. “Yeah,was.Because Iwasin love with you,andI couldn’t be what you need. Now, I’minlove with you, and Icanbe the guy you need. I can be here for you, Em.” My eyes flutter open to meet his soft, dark irises. “I can go to your parties, meet your family, buy you the house with the picket fence, have the kids—you name it, angel, and I can give it to you. I just needed to take the first step myself.”

I want to scream at him for all the heartbreak he caused me, but the sincerity in his voice nearly brings me to my knees. “What did you have to do?”

He threads his arm around my waist holding my body against his. “I had to reach out and get help from the person who had been offering it all along. It wasn’t easy, Em, and the process of healing was dangerous. I was unstable, and I had to learn how to manage myself, and get the right treatment for my blackouts.”

“And are they gone?” I whisper as he presses his lips to my jaw.

His hot breath against my ear sends a familiar shiver of arousal down my spine. “Yes, Em. But I’d be lying if I said they may never come back, but I can tell you that I’ll never hurt you or myself ever again. I’m good.”

I lean away from his intoxicating kiss. “Just like that,you’re good?”

Turner chuckles. “Yeah, I’mgood.I’m fuckinggreatnow that I’ve got my hands on you, and you know what, if you tell me I have to earn my keep for you, I’ll do it. I’ll fucking chase you for the rest of my life.”

A smile tugs at my lips. “I’m not just letting you off the hook, but…” My voice trails off as I take inthisversion of Turner. “Idounderstand that you needed time—and maybe help that I couldn’t give you.”

“I needed a solid risk assessment and space to become safe for you, Em,” he replies, his voice dropping in volume. “I had to leave the cabin for a long time and work my way back. That’s what I needed, and I never pursued it before because I didn’t have a reason to.Youwere the reason I was waiting for.”

“You became charming, I see,” I swat a tear from under my eye. “You must have been practicing.”

“I may have rehearsed a few lines,” Turner murmurs, and then presses his lips to mine. I instantly melt into him, getting a new and old taste of him once more. His tongue slips between my lips, intertwining with my tongue. The same hunger is there, but there’s a renewed sense of confidence that he didn’t have before.

My champagne glass slips from my hand, spilling on the rug as we stumble back. “Turner,” I break the kiss, giggling. “We’re lucky that didn’t break.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles, landing his lips on mine again for a light kiss before leaning away. “Does your friend have a ride home?”

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