Page 24 of Back in the Bay

"It is simple." He props himself up on one elbow, and I try not to stare at the way the sheet drapes low across his hips. "The complicated part was living without you all these years."

"That's not fair," I say, my voice catching. "You can't put that on me. We were kids."

"I'm not blaming you, Mabel." His voice is gentle but firm. "I'm saying I know what matters now. I've dated other women?—"

"Really? This is what you want to bring up right now?" I interrupt, raising an eyebrow.

He chuckles, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Let me finish. I've dated, but I've spent thirteen years comparing every woman to you. And they all knew it."

Something warm unfurls in my chest. I fight it, because hope is dangerous.

"I have a life in Portland," I say, but it sounds hollow even to me. "A career I've worked hard on for years."

Cole sits up fully now, the sheet pooling at his waist. "And I would never ask you to give that up. That's what I'm trying to tell you. I'll build my life around yours if that's what you need."

"And what about what you need?" I challenge.

His hand finds mine, fingers intertwining. "I need you. Everything else is negotiable."

I look down at our joined hands, at how right they look together. "I can't make any promises."

"I'm not asking for promises." He lifts my chin with his free hand, forcing me to meet his eyes. "I'm asking for a chance."

The intensity in his gaze makes me tremble. This is Cole—not some smooth-talking city lawyer who knows all the right lines. When he makes a promise, he builds it as solid as the houses he creates.

"What if we try and it doesn't work?" I whisper, voicing my deepest fear.

"What if it does?" he counters, bringing my hand to his lips. "What if this is our second chance at something most people never find once?"

I close my eyes, overwhelmed by the possibility that he might be right. When I open them again, he's watching me with such tenderness that something inside me breaks open.

"I have a meeting with a client on afternoon," I say finally. “I need to drive home by Monday morning.”

His brow furrows. "Okay..."

"But maybe I could come back next weekend. If you wanted to... talk more about this."

The smile that spreads across his face is like sunrise breaking over Cedar Bay—warm, familiar, and full of promise.

"I'll be here," he says, pulling me back into his arms. "And maybe by then, I'll have some blueprints to show you."

"Blueprints?" I ask against his chest.

"For your law office." He kisses the top of my head. "Just in case."

"You're impossible," I laugh, but it comes out breathier than intended.

"Impossible to resist," he corrects, rolling me beneath him in one fluid motion. His weight presses me into the mattress, a delicious reminder of last night's activities.

"Arrogant, too." I try to sound stern, but my hands betray me as they slide up his biceps. God, when did he get so... solid?

"Only because I know what I want." His lips trail down my neck, making coherent thought increasingly difficult. "And I want you, Mabel Maxwell. Always have."

I close my eyes, trying to hold onto my resolve even as it melts under his touch. "Cole, we need to talk about logistics. Portland is three hours away. Your business is here. My firm is there. We can't just?—"

"I meant what I said," he murmurs against my collarbone. "We'll figure it out. Maybe I'll spend half the week in Portland. Maybe you'll work remotely some days. Maybe?—"

"Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves." I place my hands on his chest, creating a small space between us. "Last night was... incredible. But one night doesn't erase thirteen years."

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