Page 62 of Unfulfilled Promises
He wrapped his arm around me as he spoke to Booker. “Drive through the Waffle House near Rhys’s exit. I’ll call ahead and place an order.”
“Waffles,” I moaned, and he chuckled. “That sounds good. And bacon. Crispy bacon with hash browns, eggs, oh, and some orange juice.”
“Lady knows what she wants,” Booker joked from the front seat.
Seth called and placed a huge order, saying there was a hundred-dollar tip for everyone working if they had it done in ten minutes. They promised to deliver it to the car, and when he hung up, he kissed my head again and said, “I’ll always make sure you have what you need, even when you don’t want it.”
I didn’t understand exactly what he meant by that, but I didn’t question it. For years, I tried to read between the lines, deciphering who was mad, who knew what, and sidestepping the landmines that I feared would blow my world apart.
My anxiety, wrongfully placed guilt, and fear forced me into a sheltered existence, and for the first time in my entire life, I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. And it felt good to be held by a man who didn’t use mistrust and deceit as a weapon to keep me in line. That’s what Sergey had done, and I’d allowed his mind games to warp my perception of myself.
Seth is showing me that no matter what our past was, there’s always a chance at a new future.
And often, the promises left unfulfilled were the ones that led to the happiest endings.
Chapter 29
Seth
After getting Regan inside and comfortable at the island in the kitchen, we dug into our food. She ate, but with each bite, I could see the exhaustion washing over her. After the fifth yawn without a new bite of food, I pushed my containers away and stood from my seat.
Looking at my best friend, I explained, “There’s a shower and clothes in the guard’s house at the back of the property. You can use these facilities but grab me some sweats and a T-shirt before you get showered.”
“Please,” Regan muttered.
“What, baby?” I asked, seeing what she needed.
“Say ‘please’. He’s been awake as long as we have, so kindness goes a long way.”
“I’m liking her more and more,” Booker remarked and asked, “Should I leave your clothes out here or where?”
“My room is the last one down the east hallway. There’s a small table outside, and you can leave them there, please.”
She placed a strong emphasis on the word ‘please’, and I smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head, amazed by her. Regan had been put through the ringer over the last few days and she still had goodness in her heart.
“I’ll run them back so you can get some rest,” Booker offered and walked out the kitchen door and across the back yard.
The compound was large but not so much that it should take him more than a few minutes round-trip. I could see Regan was struggling, so I walked around and carefully scooped her into myarms. She rested her head on my chest as I carried her out of the kitchen.
“I can walk,” she said around a yawn, and I smiled as I continued moving past the living room and into her hallway.
“And I can still carry you. Let me take care of you, baby. I’m responsible for everything, so it’s the least I can do.”
She looked up at me and patted my chest. I stopped just outside the glass windows leading to the interior patio, and she spoke clearly as she said, “You and I are starting fresh. That means everything from the time I asked for a new start is in the past. My secrets, your plan, all of it. I don’t blame you for anything, and I need you to not blame me. Can . . . is that possible?”
I started walking without replying, moving faster down the hallway until I was in front of her door. She looked worried and tried to wiggle out of my arms as I said, “Please open the door.” She punched in her code and the door unlocked before I turned the knob and walked us inside.
Careful not to hurt her, I placed her at the foot of her bed and lifted her chin as she tried to lower her gaze. I could see apprehension in her beautiful green eyes, so I softly explained. “I need to kiss you, but I don’t want to do anything that may . . . trigger you.”
She seemed shocked, so I added, “I told you months ago, there’s nothing you can say to me that will make me see you any different than I do. Today changes nothing. I meant what I said, Regan. I love you, even if you’re not there yet. I’ll patiently wait until you are, because you, my beautiful darlin’, are worth waiting for.”
“So, what he said didn’t—”
I leaned forward and kissed her, needing her to get out of her head and back to the moment. She faced her nightmare today and pushed it back into the darkness where it couldn’t hurt herever again. When her hands pressed against my chest, I fought the part of my brain that was screaming to pull her to me and I allowed her to move at whatever pace she was comfortable.
When her tongue licked the seam of my lips, I opened and swept my tongue against hers, mimicking what I wanted to do to her but making sure to keep the frenzy pushed down. A knock on the door broke our trance as Booker said through the door, “Clothes are here.”
His heavy footsteps grew softer as he walked away, and when I looked back at Regan, she was smiling as she touched her lips. I wiggled my eyebrows and offered her my hand. “Let’s get you showered so you can get some sleep. I know you’re exhausted.”
