Page 27 of All I Want

Chapter 7

The last twodays had been brutal. She hadn’t heard a word from him, not that she should’ve since she’d asked for time.

What the hell was wrong with her?

She’d known before he walked out that door that she didn’t really want time to think about it, to overanalyze what she wanted—what she needed from him.

She’d caught up on sleep since she saw him last. It hadn’t been as easy as she’d hoped since she missed his arms around her at night and the way his soft groans whispered over her skin when she innocently—hell, who was she kidding—brushed up against him while she slept.

She’d needed a day to stew over her issues, and now she was ready to take the risk she should’ve taken years ago. Yes, she had no way of knowing if they would’ve worked out. They’d been so young. Their careers and school just beginning.

But she wasn’t going to waste any more time. She knew better than most how fleeting time could be.

So here she was, standing at his front door, with her best dress on, and a sprig of mistletoe in her purse. Tonight was the team holiday party, and she wanted to go with him, as his girlfriend, or however he’d have her. She wanted to get to know his new family: his teammates. And she wanted to be on his arm and have him in her life.

But what if he wasn’t interested? What if Madison answered the door because he’d asked her to be his date for the night after Maggie had basically kicked him out? Oh god, this was a mistake.

No. It was not. She took in a deep breath and knocked on his door.

She rolled back her shoulders. She could do this. She could put her heart out there.

No, that wasn’t right. Her heart had always been out there with Alex. It was her brain that needed a little work.

“Maggie, what are you doing here?” Alex asked after he swung the door open. “And how did you get up here?”

“Umm, hi. You have me on your approved list, so the doorman let me in. I would’ve called ahead, but I wasn’t sure if you’d buzz me in.”

She focused on his eyes. They softened at her words, and her heart raced.

“Do you always dress like that when you stop by to visit people?” he asked, gesturing to her dress.

“Well, I thought maybe you still needed a date to your team holiday party,” she said, finally taking in the rest of him. His perfectly cut black suit made her mouth water, and she let out a soft laugh when her eyes landed on his reindeer tie.

“I thought you needed time,” he said, wary, and still not letting her in the condo.

“I’m an idiot and I never should’ve let you walk out of my house the other night. I’m sorry. I have to trust you. Us. And I do. I just freaked out because we’ve only been doing whatever this is for a few weeks and I missed you so much. And I’m tired of waking up alone in the morning when I know you’re in the same town as me.”

“So, I’m just a warm body?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe, and she quirked her brow.

“I mean, you’re insanely warm, but really, that’s what you got out of all of that?”

He grinned at her, and the butterflies took off at warp speed in her belly.

“Get in here,” he said, tugging her into his condo and shutting the door behind her.

She ached to jump in his arms, to tell him how sorry she was over and over again, but she wasn’t sure what to say next, and based on the look in his eyes, he was waiting for her to continue.

So she dove in.

“I love you, Alex Westbrook. I’ve always loved you. I want to wake up with you in the morning, and I need you to be the last thing I see at night, even if it’s just over Skype because you’re at an away game. I gave up too easily years ago, and that’s not going to happen again.”

“We were young. It took me a while, but I understand why you ended it when I was traded.”

“I should’ve at least given us the chance to work out.”

“We’re doing that now,” he said.

He lifted her in the air, holding her to his body as he strode toward the couch.

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