Page 94 of The Opposite of Romance
My hand lands on my sternum, willing my frantic heartbeat to calm down.It’s Logan, of course.And though the fear is gone in a second, my heart has no plan on settling down.
He sports a smirk on his face. My arms itch to wrap themselves around him, but I hold them back, not wanting to overstep. Still, when he steps forward, placing a thumb on my chin and brushing his lips over mine, I pull him closer, opening my mouth to let him in.
He smells like wood and sweat, and my nipples are standing on business in a second. The kiss doesn’t last nearly long enough before he slightly pulls away, whispering, “I have a surprise for you.”
I suck in a breath as my chest expands, dying to see his surprise. His eyes stare back at me, clear and honest, with a hint of something else creeping in the background.Vulnerability?
He takes my hand, and I blindly follow, relishing the feel of my hand in his. He takes me outside, stopping right outside my patio doors.
“Wh…?” I say, before realizing the surprise.
It’s finished. The deck. It’s finished.
“H-how?” I stutter.
“I had some help.” He shrugs, but I’m stunned speechless.
This morning, the place was a mess of tools and half-finished deck parts. The benches missed their backrests; the floorboards were sticking out in places. The little covered terrace had only a roof and half the floor and now it has gorgeous benches, cozy cushions and a fire pit. It’s just like the pictures he showed, but somehow even better. It blends in seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, leading to the pool. The house is perfect now.
And as I turn around to tell Logan that, it clicks. His hands are in his jeans, his head lowered, showing his discomfort.
“You finished it,” I state, a lump forming in my throat.
“I did.”
“It’s gorgeous.” Tears pool at the corners of my eyes.
“It is.”
“So, you’re done.” I huff a laugh, pretending not to be falling apart.
“I don’t have to be.” He stares at me from underneath his thick lashes, his eyes full of hope.
“Well, I have nothing else for you to build.” Once again, my fake laugh is met with silence.
“Sadie…” he sighs.
“No. I’m really grateful for what you did. For everything you did.” I clear my throat. “But we knew this thing had an end date. You promised it will be done by summer. And you delivered.” The smile I force onto my face probably looks psychotic, but I can’t let him see the way I really feel.
He opens his mouth to say something but stops himself. “I get it, Sades. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling, but I understand. I’ll give you time to figure it out, but don’t for a second think that this was a fling for me.” His hands are now out of his pockets, and he places them on my shoulders, as if to drive his point home.
The moisture in my eyes overflows and the first tear falls down my cheek, followed by the second immediately. His hand raises to my cheek, wiping the tears off.
“I know you think that now. But you have time, you have options…”
“I don’t want options. I want you.” His low voice leaves no room to argue.
I shake my head, trying to shake the tears away. “I-I can’t…”
He lets out a deep sigh, but his touch is still featherlight. “I know, Sadie.” Each time he says my name, another part of my broken heart rebuilds.
Finally, I find the courage to look at him. His eyes are glossy, and it only pushes more liquid into mine.Don’t cry over me, Logan. Please don’t cry over me. I’m not worth it.
His lips pull up in the world’s saddest smile before he presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. The warmth of his soft lips travels my body, like a current running through me.
“I will get out of your hair,” he says, softly squeezing my arms before he turns around. And, grabbing the last of his tools, leaves.
I drop to my magazine-worthy deck, christening it with my tears. Somehow, the end of this short, trivial fling hurts worse than the end of my marriage. I can’t imagine my life without him in or around my house. He’s a part of it, a part of me.
