She wets her lips. “I’m sorry.”
I scoff, my face scrunching up in confusion that her first thought after what she just went through is to say sorry to me. “What? Don’t apologize to me for anything.”
She relaxes into my hold, tilting her head back further. “But I need to. You were right about him. I justreallywanted you to be wrong.” Her voice cracks, and my heart breaks.
I cradle the back of her head with one hand, pull her into my chest, and brush up and down her back with the other, melting my body around hers. “It’s okay, Lain. It’s okay.”
For a split second, time seems to stand still; she’s frozen in my embrace, like she doesn’t know whether to lean into it or push me away.
But then, suddenly, the skies part, and a beam of sunshine warms me to the core because she wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly like her life depends on it.
At every crossroads, she has pushed me away and run in the opposite direction, but this time … she’s choosing to stay.
My eyes burn, tears pooling, as a wave of pear and fresh-cut flowers of her scent invade my nose. That same sweet aroma she’s always had. I don’t know if it’s her perfume or if it’s just Lainey.
Fuck, I missed it. I missedthis. When I have her this close to me, wrapped in my arms, the world doesn’t seem so scary.
My eyes slam shut, and my surroundings fade away, a tear rolling down my cheek. A frog grows in my throat as my hands slide down her back, and I envelop her completely.
I needed this, more than I even realized. I can’t even remember the last time I hugged someone this tightly. Honestly, my last one was probably with Lainey. But since she left me, I’ve kept everyone at an arm’s length for the most part.
Aside from my teammates, but even they only know so much about who I am. I don’t talk about my past or about anything beneath the surface with them; it’s always been easier, keeping everything inside.
Slowly, she backs away, and painstakingly, I let her.
She avoids my stare, but when her blue eyes drift up to mine, she sucks in a quick breath. “Are you crying?”
“No,” I say forcefully, fighting back my smile.
Her eyes widen, and she gasps. “You are! Jensennn.” She drags my name out playfully and throws her arms back around me. “Now I feel even worse.”
Gently grabbing her shoulders, I guide her far enough away to see a tear roll down her cheek. I wipe it away, cupping her face and continuing to brush her cheeks with my thumbs.
“Stop. I know you didn’t want to believe me. I know why you pushed me away. I get it, Lain. I do. Forget about that asshole.” I sigh. “What do you need right now? How can I help? Besides pumping you full of booze.”
She giggles and sighs dramatically, clearly going through a roller coaster of emotions.
Staying quiet, I can see the wheels turning in her mind.
“I don’t know.”
“Hey, that’s okay,” I assure her. “Do you want to go back to the group?”
She glances over to the roped-off area, and her jaw tightens in my hands. “Did you know her before tonight?” She bites down on her bottom lip like she didn’t mean for that question to escape.
I think those shots are hitting her harder than she anticipated.
I bite back my smile. “Who? AJ?”
Her eyes find mine again, a fire burning deep in those pretty blue orbs. “Yeah,AJ.”
I drift forward, and the warmth of her breath hits my chin. It takes far more willpower than I’d like to admit to not close the distance between us completely.
Her eyes fall to my lips as I murmur, “So, youwerejealous.”
She glares at me and jabs her finger into my chest. “Oh, I was sonotjealous.”
Lowering my thumb on the next swipe, I brush the edge of her lips, and she sharply inhales, her head tipping back and chest rising. She wants this. Shefeelsthis as deeply as I do.
