Page 22 of Scandalously Yours

I let out a half sob, half laugh, then looked up back at him when he raised his head. “I’m such a fool.”

His brow arched as he stared down at me with confusion. “About what?”

If I didn’t say it now, I knew it would eat me alive. Of course, he could also leave me standing here after my admission, and that too would kill me. Still, I didn’t want there to be secrets between us. “I’m a fool for you.”

“For me?” He still didn’t seem to understand what I was saying.

I knew I’d have to spell this out, and that almost made me want to forget it altogether. I didn’t want some black cloud hanging over us, especially as we continued to get closer, so it was better to get this out there now, rather than fall so hard that I’d never be able to pick myself back up again when the time came to do it. It wasn’t an “if” but a “when” because my track record all but sealed it.

“I love you,” I finally told him, then watched a myriad of expressions war in his eyes.

They darkened considerably, and when he stroked the side of my one cheek, the tenderness of the gesture nearly did me in. “Let’s go.”

I wasn’t sure whether he intended to end things between us now or not, but wherever he led, I knew I would follow. It didn’t matter if it was to heartache or joy. I’d follow him anywhere. My heels clicked loudly on the marbled floor as we left the ballroom and headed right to the elevator. Once inside, he waited for the door to close before he plastered me against the wall and brought his mouth down on mine. A few more tears slipped unchecked down my face as he stole my thoughts... my breath... and my heart as effortlessly as he’d always done. I was so consumed by him that I didn’t even realize we had reached our floor until he broke off the kiss and tugged me into the hallway.

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