Page 40 of Wilde In His Arms

“I can’t believe you just showed up.”She was still smiling.

He headed to the new property, happy with his girl beside him.“I felt badly about missing the wedding, but I had some things to do on my case that couldn’t wait.I did some packing, too.The house isn’t mine for another week or so, but I wanted us to see it together.”

Aria settled back in her seat.“I actually drove by it last week.”

He turned to her.“You did?”He shifted his gaze back to the road.

“Yeah.I couldn’t believe you actually bought it without seeing it in person.I wanted to check it out, just in case there was something you should know about.”

“Even though we were broken up, you still checked out the place just in case there was something wrong, so you could tell me?”

“Is that so hard to believe?I didn’t break up with you because I didn’t care.I cared too much to keep going on the way we were.”She sighed.“And I should have handled it better.I should have talked to you about what I needed to keep us together.”

He rested his hand on her thigh.“I’m going as fast as I can with my case and getting here.Please, be patient a little while longer.”

“I’ll try.”

“And no more dates?”he grumbled.

She grinned at him.“Except with you, right?”

He spotted the property up ahead and choked out the question that had been nagging him since he found out about her dates.“Did you sleep with him?”

Aria turned in her seat, took his hand, and faced him.“No.I did what you said I was going to do and thought about you the whole fucking time.I couldn’t stop comparing him to you.You’ll be happy to know, he didn’t stack up at all.At first I thought he was nice.Charming.Attentive.We had dinner and talked, getting to know each other.The second date, he asked me on a picnic.I thought it was nice that he wanted to see me on his lunch break, because that was the only time I had to see him.It started off well, but then I came to a conclusion about why it felt off.He wasn’t you.”

Nick pulled into the driveway of what he hoped to be their new place.“You see that house?”

“Yes.”

“I want it to be ours.I want you there with me because it’s where you want to be.I want you to want to be my wife and partner.When we do this…” He notched his chin toward the house.“We do it together.And if things get out of balance again, then you come to me and tell me what you need, because I want you to be happy.I don’t want to be the reason you’re sad or frustrated or feeling alone.”He brushed his fingers along the side of her beautiful face.“I’m sorry I made you feel that way.It won’t happen again.”

“I know you mean that, Nick, but I also understand that your job is demanding.”

“It is.But things are going to be different with me living here.Just give me a chance to prove it.”

She didn’t say anything, just opened her car door and got out.

He met her at the front of the car.“What do you think?”

“The whole house is white.Maybe we can paint the trim with another color to add some detail.”

He took her hand and brought it to his lips.“Okay.What color?”

“Hunter green.No.Navy blue.”

“I like that idea.Let’s go inside.”

She turned to him.“I thought it hadn’t closed yet.”

“It hasn’t, but the realtor gave me the combination to the lockbox so we can take a look inside.”

Her smile took over her whole face.“I can’t wait to see it.It looks different being here than just seeing it in the pictures you sent.”

“Mason did a walk-through for me before I signed the papers.If I’d had the time, I would have done it with you, but once I decided I was moving, I wanted it done right away.”He opened the lockbox on the door handle, retrieved the key, unlocked the house, opened the door, then waved his hand out for Aria to go in first.

They stepped into the foyer and open living room.

Aria walked into the spacious room.“I love the wood floors.”

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