Page 86 of One Last Promise

The elliptical stopped. He got off, grabbed a towel. At least he didn’t smell. He wiped his face.

She stood there, arms folded. “We need to talk.”

Oh?And suddenly—oh no, had she figured him out? Their conversation from the elevator yesterday rushed back at him. Sarah Walker. Chuck.

Captain Awesome.Whatever.

“I can’t stop thinking about . . .”

And here it came?—

“The kiss.”

Right.That.

“I know that . . . you probably thought that my hesitation was about Tomas, and losing him, but it wasn’t. I . . . there’s something you don’t know?—”

He held up his hand. “We don’t need to go back there, London. It’s in the past. I know you need time.”

She stepped up to him. “Actually, that’s the thing. I don’t need time. I . . . I don’t know why I thought I wasn’t ready, but . . . I am ready.”

He blinked at her.Oh?—

She stepped closer, touched his arm. “You were amazing today. As always. You always know what to say, what to do, and you’re the most . . . honest, real man I’ve ever met.” She smiled, shook her head. “Trust me, I’ve known plenty of jerks. But with you, what you see is what you get, and that’s . . . refreshing. And super sexy. And . . .” She caught her lip, then looked up, searching his face. “You should give kissing me another go.”

He stilled.No, no?—

But what was he going to do? She was right there, stepping up to him, lifting her face to his.

And again, his brain got up and walked out the door, down the hall, and sat down on the sofa while his armswent around her, while she curled hers around his neck, and while he lowered his mouth to hers.

No,no?—

Yes. Because she tasted sweet, her body warm and strong against his, and somehow it felt right and good to simply hold her.

Finally.

And then the wanting started. Deep inside, it curled through him, a desire that he’d banked for a long, long time, so long he’d forgotten the power of it.

Oaken’s voice tiptoed into his head.“When you find the one, you know, right?”

Yes.

Except, Colt was there too . . .“She’s already been betrayed once. . . .”

He lifted his head. “London, stop. Stop.”

Even as the words emerged, he winced. What was hedoing? But he couldn’t kiss this amazing woman and keep secrets from her.

Not when he knew how secrets destroyed.

She stepped back. “What?”

“London.” He caught her hand. “Listen . . .” The confusion in her beautiful eyes just locked him right up. “I need to tell you something. You don’t know everything about me. I’m not . . . all . . . you think.”

She made a face then, a sort of incredulous look and shook her head. “What kind of secrets do you have? Seriously.”

He took a breath. “Okay, but first, I need to tell yousomething.”

---