I sat in the passenger seat of Daire’s car, my hand clasped in his, as we made our way to Hawk and Noelle’s.
I’m the safest place you’ll ever be.
“Yes.I’m not going to lie and tell you there’s not a niggling doubt in my mind, but I’ll adjust.”
“Please…just don’t make it something it wasn’t.”
“Believe me, I don’t want to.”
“What can I do to reassure you?”
I shrugged.“Nothing.It’ll just become something I’ll have to get used to.”
“I’ve been in touch with Max all these years.He’s told me so much about Noelle that I felt like I knew her already.I knew she’d had a difficult time.When I met her again, she was just as sweet and goofy as I remembered.I felt comfortable and at peace with her.I didn’t feel that pressure to be more.”
“Please, Daire.I really don’t need details.”
“I think you do.Because with you, right from the beginning, I was bowled over by one emotion after another.As soon as I saw you at your staff Christmas party, I was enthralled.So much sass in such a curvy, little package.”
His brows lowered.“And then Paul was a prick to you, and I wanted to pummel him.I’m not naturally given to violence, but, because it was just Mom and me for so long I think I’m naturally protective of women, so I put it down to that.”
He glanced at me and smiled nervously.“Listening to you laugh that day we had pizza at Noelle’s, endeared you to me.There was nothing I wanted more than to tell one more story to hear you laugh again.Then sparring with you at Max’s house excited me more than anything had in a long time.”
He smiled wider and squeezed my hand.“But I knew you’d be a good girl under all that feistiness.”
I snorted and huffed out a laugh.
“Harley, after you said you were breaking up with Paul, I followed up with Max to make sure you did.”
“Really?”
“Truly.I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since then.I didn’t date anyone else, and every opportunity I had to come out to visit, I took.Since I moved here in July, I’ve tried to be wherever you were.Including stalking you on the beach.”
I laughed.
This was clearly a me issue and not a him issue.
“Think about it.Has there been a single instance since July when I haven’t been clear about my intentions with you?”
“No.”
“No,” he repeated irritably.“And I didn’t feel any of those things for Noelle.She is a good woman.She was a possibility.There are thousands of possibilities for every person.I’m not saying it never would have worked between us, maybe it would have.But the way I felt about her was not even a fraction of what I felt for you.I don’t want to kiss her, hold her, fuck her, or marry her.”
“Daire!”
“I’m not going to make the same mistake I have with you in the past.I’m going to be very clear with you.There is no part of me that wants her in any way other than friendship.You, however, are everything to me.You have been since you called me a sanctimonious arse.”
“Ah, but,” I answered quietly, “you’re my sanctimonious arse.”
His voice was tight.“Are we okay?”
“Yes, baby.We’re great.”
He flattened my palm over his thigh and covered my hand with his.“That’s my good girl,” he exhaled softly.
I guffawed.“Going to make you work for that tonight.”
Slanting me a dark look, he promised, “It’ll be my extreme pleasure.”
