Page 13 of Accidental Theirs
Damnit.
“Please.” All my dignity is drained from me as I look down at her. “I just want to talk.”
She sighs heavily and without looking at me, slides by me.
I follow her and thank God, she walks out into the alley.
I take a deep breath as I stand out in the night air, feeling like my thoughts are all melding together.
“What did you want to talk about?” She looks up at meexpectantly and again, all the words I wanted to say fly out of my head.
“I- I wanted to apologize,” I say finally, my voice slightly hoarse from the two drinks I consumed for courage.
“Apologize for what?”
“For leaving the way I did.”
“Oh, you mean for making me fall in love with you and then leaving me a fucking note that said ‘I’m sorry’ and exiting my life forever?”
I wince at the harshness of her words. “I was different then. Young and stupid?—”
“You weren’t that young.”
I sigh. “Liv, please?—”
“Don’t call me that. Nobody calls me that.”
“I used to call you that.”
“Used to.” She crosses her arms over her chest.
I don’t know what I expected. For her to fall all over me, tell me she’s been pining after me for years and she’s been waiting for this apology?
Stupid.
I run a hand through my hair. “I’m different now. I work for Titan?—”
“Good for you.” She starts walking toward the door. “It doesn’t change anything.”
“But things are better.” I whirl around as she puts her hand on the door. I grab hold of her wrist gently. “Please. Don’t go.”
“What do you want from me, Dom? Forgiveness? You can have it.”
“It doesn’t sound like you forgive me.”
“I forgave you a long time ago,” her green eyes flash with anger. “That doesn’t mean I will ever forget. That doesn’t mean I want to get back together.”
“I’m a different man now, Liv— uh, Olivia. I want to settle down. I want a family. With you.”
“With me?” Her voice hasn’t changed, but now she’s working her bottom lip between her teeth.
“There’s no one else I want to spend my life with.” My heart races a bit faster. I can only hope that the tide is turning. “There’s never been anyone else.”
She snorts. “Like I’m supposed to believe you’ve been celibate since we broke up.”
I wilt.
I haven’t been, not exactly, but there’s certainly never been another woman that I felt this way about.
