Page 80 of Reckless
He forked out a highlights-only version of the events leading up to the fire call, then another of the conversation with Zoe that had followed. Cole listened without a word in response, although Alex knew it wasn’t for lack of attention or opinion.
Finally, Cole ran his palms down the front of his jeans. “Damn. I’m sorry, man.”
“I am, too.” Alex’s impulsive side told him to just forget it, to blow off all these sticky emotions and skip forward to find the next moment to really live in. Instead, he said, “Do you remember a couple of weeks ago at Bellyflop, how you said maybe it was my karma that put me in the kitchen with Zoe?”
Cole nodded. “Yeah.”
“It wasn’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because,” Alex said, his gut knotting up to match the throb in his shoulder. “I’ve never done anything good enough in my life to deserve her. Even if she couldn’t stay.”
Grabbing his paperwork, he swung his feet off the hospital bed, eager to just put this place and this day behind him. Cole reached for the door, sliding it open so Alex could cross the threshold.
Zoe stood two inches in front of him, her hand poised to knock.
“Oh, shit!” Her bloodshot eyes flew wide, her face clearly showing signs of a sleepless night, but Christ, she was still beautiful. “I, um. I was going to knock.”
His heart slammed against his sternum, and finally he managed to say, “I see that.”
A beat passed, then another before Cole said, “I’ll just wait for you at the nurse’s station down the hall, Teflon. It’s good to see you, Zoe.”
Alex nodded a quickthanksto his buddy before turning back toward Zoe in the otherwise empty hallway.
She pressed her lips together, eyes downcast. “I heard the man you rescued is going to be okay. That’s really good news.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, trying like hell to read her expression.
A flare of emotion burned through her eyes as she glanced up from the floor. “And you look better. You know, almost fine.”
He pinned Zoe with a quiet stare, a glimmer of hope sparking out from the very center of his chest despite his efforts to remain cautious. “Is that why you came here? To see how I am?”
“No. I don’t know. I thought…I mean, I came here to…what I really wanted to say is…” She stopped, her honey-colored brows settling into that look of determination that told Alex she was dead set on getting what she wanted.
“I am in love with you, and I thought you should know.”
Holy. Shit. “You what?”
Zoe moved forward, her words falling out in a rush. “I know what I said last night, about being too afraid to risk. But you were right, Alex. I can’t live my life in a bubble. Not when what I really want is to live it with you. Yes, I am scared out of my mind at the thought of losing you. But I’m even more scared at the thought of not ever having you. If you still want me, I want to take the risk. I want to be with you. I want?—”
“Zoe, stop.”
“Oh, God. What?” A look of panic streaked over her face, but Alex quelled it by closing the space between them. He pulled her in tight, and yeah. No matter how high the skydive, no matter how tough the climb or rough the rapids,thiswas the biggest thrill Alex ever wanted.
“You don’t have to convince me,” he said, brushing a kiss over her shock-parted lips. “I love you, too. I don’t want to be anywhere other than with you.”
“Really?” she asked, her smile lighting up her face.
“I’m a no-bullshit kind of guy, remember? If I tell you I love you, I mean it for keeps.”
“Well, good.” Zoe’s smile became an ear to ear grin. “Because even though it’s a day early, I was hoping we could still have that breakfast date with my dad.”
Alex pulled back, but only far enough to give her a quizzical look. “You think he’ll be okay with this? You are his only daughter.”
“Let’s just say I think he’s gotbothof our backs. And anyway, we’ve got some celebrating to do.”
“I’d hardly call me getting released from the hospital after a scrape or two something to celebrate,” he said with a laugh, but the excitement on Zoe’s face snared his attention.
