“Don’t worry, Kris and my breakup had nothing to do with you,” she says, although something in her tone makes me think she’s lying.
I move towards her.
“The last time we spoke, you were about to get married, looking forward to starting a family. Now I hear your engagement is history and you expect me to acceptyou’re finewith it?”
Pen avoids my gaze, her arms folding over her chest.
I move towards her and crouch down in front of her.
“I only found out this evening. I came straight here.”
When I told Kat it hurt, I meant it. It physically hurts to think of her in pain. I want Pen to be happy. What she wanted with Kris does not differ from what Leah and my brother wanted. What Caleb and April now have.
I’ve had a front-row seat tocrushed dreamsso I know they’re not something you just bounce back from. Working with my therapist, I’m not sure I ever did. Instead, I became withdrawn and cynical.
“Why are youreallyhere, Elijah?”
Her voice sounds so soft and small, not something I recognise and I hate it.
“Kat says you’ve been back a few weeks.”
“I have. I’ve been trying to get my life back on track. You know me and my plans. I needed to reconfigure my lists,” she says, trying to keep her voice light and neutral.
“Pen…”
She holds up a hand.
“Don’t,” she mumbles, her voice catching. “You said before if there was anything you could do for me?”
“That still stands, anything. You just have to ask,” I say, without missing a beat.
If there is something I can do to set her life back on track. Even if it means speaking to Kris, I’ll do it.
“I need you to leave. Walk away. Let me get on with my life.”
I let out a groan and drop my chin to my chest. My forehead resting on her knees.
“Anything but that,” I say, unable to keep the pain from my voice. I raise my head, my eyes clashing with hers. “That’s probably the only thing I can’t do.”
Pen opens her mouth to speak.
“Please don’t ask me to walk away,” I beg.
A tear tracks its way down her cheek.
“I—”
Her eyes lock on my mouth and before I can stop myself, I take her head in my hands and draw her lips to mine.
CHAPTER 40
PEN
When Elijah’s lips touch mine, it’s like a crescendo of fireworks being set off in my head and throughout my body. His tongue brushes my lips, and I open for him willingly, allowing him to deepen our kiss. My body temperature rises as I fall against him. I suck in a breath as he pulls me from my chair and into his lap on the floor.
My hands circle his neck and clasp his head, deepening our kiss. Our lips duel as we taste each other for the first time. My back arches, melding my curves into his hard frame, years of allowing my imagination free rein, have nothing on the real thing. Kissing Elijah Frazer for the first time is not only mind-blowing, it has the potential to be soul-destroying.
It takes all my willpower to pull myself out of his grasp and move away from his tempting lips and hard body. I crawl out of his lap and shimmy across the floor until my back hits one of the kitchen cupboards, putting some much-needed distance between us.
