Page 28 of Forging Caine

The sick feeling increased, then spread up my throat, spewing words out like an anxious little schoolgirl. “Good thing I’m with a man who talks so much. Not very quiet when you’re around.”

“True.” His lip curled into a smirk, which he bit back. “And I need you to focus on my words alone right now. Block out all the other little voices that continue chattering in your head.”

“I don’t have voices chattering in my head.” What I did have was pins and needles in my fingers. Every cell of my body demanded I rub those fingers together to get the blood flowing again, but he’d recognize the reaction. I couldn’t let him think this had me panicking. I just had to try to stop talking.

“I know you’re undecided about your career and whether you want to settle in Brenton for good, but—”

“Elliot says—”

He released my waist and put a finger to my mouth. “Stop talking, woman.”

I nipped at his finger, so he moved it. “That’s not what Elliot says.”

Antonio rolled his eyes. “I’m sure he has. At least ten times.”

A giggle burst out of me and I clenched my hand around his neck.Calm down, Sam. What if this was all there was tonight? Just a ridiculously romantic dance and time with the love of my life? That would be enough. That would be easy.

So much easier than everything else.

“As I was trying to say…” He paused, cocking an eyebrow. “No interruptions this time?”

I made a show of clamping my lips and shaking my head.

“I told you I’d follow you anywhere and that’s as true today as when I said it at Christmas. So don’t worry about leaving me because I’ll always be there. For the rest of my life, I want to be by your side. Whether that’s here, in Boston, Napoli, London, wherever in the world you want. I want to be there.”

The stinging in my eyes came back with a vengeance. The butterflies must have been trying to escape.

He wanted forever. With me.

Memories flashed through my head. Me all in white. Staring at myself in the mirror and trying to convince myself I was happy. Walking down the aisle to meet Matt in a big church, surrounded by hundreds of people out to see the Foster heir hitched to the former FBI agent who’d abandoned her career to be with him. The fairytale wedding of the year.

The awkward silence on our flight to Aruba. The hours Matt wanted to lie on the beach instead of diving, parasailing, or horseback riding. The sex that was never quite right and definitely rare. The—

As the tiny lights all around us reflected in Antonio’s eyes, a new image crowded my weary imagination: Meeting Antonio in front of an altar. Pledging the rest of my life to him. The energy dancing around inside me grew stronger, like it was trying to claw its way out. And claw it did, until a smile burst free from my chest.

That wasn’t right. It was supposed to be panic. Terror. Fear of making promises to someone else who’d leave me at the first sign of trouble.

Every time you’re in trouble, he runs toward you, Sam.

The music shifted again, to a faster paced song, light and welcoming. When the lyrics started, it still sounded like Ed Sheeran, but I didn’t know musicians as well as Antonio did. The singer went on about beautiful nights, the sky, and making changes.

Antonio stopped our dance and took a deep breath.

Oh shit, this is really it.

He blinked a few times and moistened his lips. Shy Antonio was making the rare appearance. Shy and nervous.

Breathe, Sam, breathe.

“Samantha…” He took a half-step back and whispered, “I don’t want to be your boyfriend anymore.”

My heart, the butterflies, and all the energy stopped at once, dropping like a lead weight.

He said we were going to open the drawer when he got home for good. I was sure it was an engagement ring. I should have known better. Everyone leaves. Everyone always leaves.

Stop, Sam. This is Antonio.He won’t leave.

But unlike himself, he wasn’t talking. He just stopped. What did that mean?

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