Page 102 of The Last Resort
And the man she loved had thought her a con artist.
“Sorry sounds such an empty word, but I am sorry, Rachel. Sorry for everything. I didn’t give you the benefit of the doubt after I took that call, and I jumped to my own conclusions.” He pointed to the scanned document. “The Royal security team dug that up late this afternoon, after you’d left. They assure me, it had been well and truly buried.”
The money and her father’s continuing betrayal meant little to her. Matthew’s condemnation of her had been the real kicker.
But I still love him. Still want him.
She closed the laptop, and let her hand rest on the top, her fingers tracing the outline of the apple logo. She didn’t need to look at any more of Matthew’s documents, everything else was irrelevant.
Where do we go to from here? Or do we not?
“Was that the thing that finally made you change your mind about me? I mean only this morning, you were ready to let me find my own way back to Aspen. And even when we got here you were still seething.”
He’d hurt her. And no matter how much he apologized, it was important that he understood just how much. That his words had cut deep.
This wasn’t a simple lovers tiff, it was a crack that threatened to become a chasm. To separate them forever.
“I don’t know if you realize just how much you’ve hurt me, Matthew.”
Rachel swallowed deep as Matthew rested his warm hand over hers. “I’ve hurt you, I know that. When I was younger, I used to be a self-righteous jerk, who had a nasty habit of jumping to conclusions.”
She met his gaze but said nothing, deciding that her silent rebuke was more than enough.
“I thought I’d moved on from being that person, but today showed me that I still have some growing to do. Bryce cautioned me to be careful with what I said to you, and I didn’t listen. I’m sorry. I really am.”
His thumb drew idle circles in the skin of her hand. Each time it completed an arc, Rachel sucked in a shuddering breath. When his other hand gently cupped her face, turning her to face him, Rachel didn’t protest. Love was meant to be never having to say sorry, but she needed to hear him say sorry over and over again.
“I’m sorry Rachel. I’m sorry for the humiliation and the pain I caused you.”
Their kiss was brief. She didn’t trust herself not to grab his coat in both hands and pull him to her. To let her heart take charge.
“I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I didn’t know how to tell you thetruth. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you not to walk away. Matt, you are the one man I’ve ever truly wanted in my life, and I was scared if I told you, I would lose you.”
Screwing her eyes shut, Rachel turned away. Him being sorry didn’t mean that he still wanted her in his life.
Please don’t offer for us to be friends. I couldn’t stand it.
“Rachel. Please look at me.”
“If it’s over, just say so.” She’d find a way to put the pieces of her life back together. If there was one thing, she’d become an expert at, it was papering over the cracks in her life and slapping a coat of paint on top. Then packing her suitcases and moving on.
“Rachel. Sweetheart. I didn’t come to your sister and brother in-laws house tonight just to offer friendship. I came because you have to know how important you are to me.”
Rachel’s chest tightened. Any moment now her heart was going to crack wide open and shatter into a thousand pieces.
“I love you, Rachel. I should have said that weeks ago, and I’m kicking myself for holding back. I’m sorry for not making you feel you could trust me enough to tell me everything. I’ve hurt you, and for that I’m truly sorry. Whatever I have to do to get you to give me another chance, name it. I love you.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
He loves me.
“You love me?”
“Yes. I do. Of course I do. You are an amazing woman. I almost said it last night on the beach. Ishouldhave said it then.”
She was glad he hadn’t because it would have made everything else that had happened over the past twenty-four hours all that worse knowing how he felt about her.
Their relationship stood at the crossroads. He loved her, and she was nuts about him. But was it enough?
