Page 86 of The Bargain

“I know. I’m sorry. I thought you wanted some space and I was confused. But mostly miserable.” I took another step forward. “It’s taken me a moment too long to realize what I think I’ve always known.” I brushed her cheek with the back of my hand, pleased when she didn’t move away. “The idea of letting anyone close to me is terrifying for reasons I can never explain. But the truth is that I can't imagine my big house without you in it." I paused letting her process what I was saying.

I moved another step closer. Her body heat slowly enveloped me.

"I want you to come home because I love you, Amber. Because I can't imagine that house without you in it. Because I want you. Because I need you. Because …"

For once, my extensive vocabulary and intelligence failed me. There simply weren’t any words to describe how I truly felt.

“Amber, I think you’re it for me.”

She shook her head stubbornly. “I hope I’m not.”

“I think you are. Amber, give me a chance.”

She bit her bottom lip, clearly undecided. “I need time.”

I sighed in relief; at least it was not a no.

I nodded, burying my hands in my pockets and taking a step back to give her a little more space. “Let me propose a bargain.”

She gave me a small smile. “You’re really into those, aren’t you?”

I shrugged with a little smile of my own. “I’m a businessman.”

“Okay, let's hear it.”

“Give me six months.”

“You’ve got a thing with six months as well.”

I shrugged. “Come home for six months. Let me show you that I can love you just as fiercely as I hated you, that I can protect you as well as I’d hurt you. Let me show you that you’re the one for me. Amber, you’re my life.”

“What if it doesn’t work? I’ll be risking everything on a promise.”

Fuck, that hurt. I couldn’t deny it.

“It’s called a leap of faith. I know you’ve done that before; do it again.”

She looked at me silently, crossing her arms on her chest.

I knew she could see the hurt in my eyes, but she was trying to stay strong. “I’ll let you go, for real this time. I’ll buy you a nice house with the deed in your name. I’ll even bless whatever relationship you might want with Jeremy the bore.”

“He is not a bore,” she defended.

I couldn’t help but glare, jealousy rearing its ugly head.

“And your friend, Dee, is it?”

“Yes?” she trailed off wearily, apprehension in her eyes. She was scared I was going to threaten her once more. And could I really blame her?

“If you accept, I’ll get her a beauty salon. State-of-the-art - everything. I’ll be an investor for only, like what? Twenty-five percent of the profit.”

“Ten,” she replied firmly.

I couldn’t contain my smile.Gotcha!She was so selfless, of course, she’d fight for someone other than herself. “You got yourself a deal. So what do you say?”

She sighed, uncrossing her arms. A little tendril of brown hair had escaped her bun and was laying against the side of her neck. My fingers twitched with the need to put it back behind her ear, to just touch her.

“Okay, and what if it does? What if I decide to stay?” she said, locking eyes with me.

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