***
The long hot soak in the tub did wonders for my various aches. After toweling me off, Alaric spread a soothing ointment over my scrapes and swollen ankles, then taped gauze over them. I dressed myself in one of his shirts, it came down to my thighs, and a pair of his boxer shorts. I then sat on his plushy sofa while he did something in the kitchen.
“Mulled wine,” he said, returning with two glasses. “It should warm you.”
“I know it will.”
He’d made it from red wine and cinnamon, and tasted heavenly. I sat back, my pains receding, and finally relaxed. Whatever he had to say to me, I thought I could handle it now. He’ll ask for his divorce, perhaps offer me another huge chunk of change, and inform me I’d lost my job. Well, okay. I certainly can find another job.
He sat beside me, his clothes torn and stained with dried blood. Alaric made no indication that he was in pain at all. I supposed he was, but in his dragon way he elected to ignore the torment.
Alaric half turned to look me in the face.Here it comes.
“I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings,” he said, staring down at his glass. “In fact, I’m damn terrible at it.”
“It’s okay,” I murmured, and took another sip before the wine got cold. “I know you want your divorce. I know you’re headed back home. It’s okay. You wanted us to part with a hug and a smile, so that’s what we’ll do.”
“You’re not making this easy,” Alaric grumbled. “Just the opposite.”
“Look, we don’t need to talk about it. We can go our separate ways.”
“When you were missing,” he said slowly, “I nearly lost my mind. I was so scared. Searching for you, knowing you may have fallen to your death and been washed out to see, well, all I saw was darkness.”
“I’m not getting you.”
“Hayley.” He glowered, his brows narrowed over his nose. “I’m trying to tell you how I feel. I love you.”
I froze.No, I didn’t hear him right.“You –”
“I love you. Had you died, I’d have died. I can’t live without you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Alaric
Hayley stared so hard at me I thought her eyes would drop from their sockets and roll down her cheeks. Laughter at the sight bubbled in my chest, but I squashed it. She might not feel the same way I do. She might not love me as I hoped she would.
I might just get my words flung back into my teeth.
“You – love me?”
I took her hand and kissed it. “I couldn’t tell you before. I wanted to, so many damn times, but I never found the words, the way to say them. Instead, I’d get pissed. Angry. That way, I’d never have to embarrass myself. I’d never have to risk rejection.”
Turning her head, Hayley stared into space. Her right hand held her wine while I held her left. I waited for her to pull away, to reject me, to say I was too late, she wanted her divorce. I braced myself for my worst fears to be realized.
“You love me.”
“Yes. With all my heart and soul.”
At last, she turned back with a cautious smile. “I never thought anyone could ever love me. Roxanne drilled that into me since we were kids. She didn’t love me, our parents didn’t, no one ever would.”
“She was wrong.”
“Brad didn’t love me, either,” she went on as though I hadn’t spoken. “If my family, my boyfriend, can’t love me, who will?”
“Me.”
“I thought.” Hayley swallowed and started again. “I didn’t think you could either. You needed my hand in marriage, but you’d never learn to love me.”
