Slowly sitting on the bed, he remained still for a few seconds before he bent forward and started slipping on his shoes. Before he could tie them up, he heard Cree at the door and froze. He couldn’t look at her. He’d been serious when he said he’d never forgive himself for hurting her.
A baby.
They had created a baby together, and because of him, she had lost their child.
He propped his elbows on his thighs and put his face in his hands. Saying he was sorry wasn’t enough to fix this. Giving her office space and finding her clients for her agency couldn’t fix this. Nothing could fix what he had done to her, what he had done to them.
Tristan startled when Cree placed her hand on his back, and he lurched off the bed, stumbling away from her.
“I’ll be out of here in a minute,” he said, and grabbed his duffel. He didn’t bother tying his shoestrings. He just needed to leave her alone once and for all.
“Tristan please,” Cree said when he was almost at the bedroom door. “Don’t leave. You told me no more running, and now I’m saying the same to you. No running.”
He braced a hand on the doorframe to help hold him up, and his shoulders sagged. He felt hollow inside. Like someone had ripped out his heart and stomped it to death. He didn’t know what to do in this situation. He was so out of his element, running felt like the only solution.
“Please don’t leave me,” she said, gutting him even more.
“Cree, you deserve better. I knew it years ago, and now…”
“And now you’re crazy if you think there’s a better man out there than you. And even if there was, and there isn’t, you’re the only one I want. You’re mine, and I will fight like hell to keep you,” she bit out.
Her voice was closer, and when he turned around, she was within arm’s reach of him.
He needed to say something, but looking at her beautiful face and watery eyes, the words wouldn’t come. Emotions clogged his throat, and he was all choked up.
Without a word, Cree stepped toward him and placed her hand on his chest. “I don’t want you to leave, and you know I always get what I want.” There was humor in her tone, but Tristan couldn’t laugh. He couldn’t smile. He could barely look at her without wanting to fall to his knees and beg her forgiveness over and over again.
She opened her arms to him, and it was his undoing. He dropped his bag to the floor and crushed her to him. Burying his face into the crook of her scented neck, it was taking all he had not to cry like a damn baby. Instead, he closed his eyes and breathed her in.
Cree whispered words of comfort in his ear, telling him he wasn’t the one at fault. Reminding him that they’d been young and dumb, both making mistakes in the relationship. She apologized for ever blaming him for their failed relationship, promising to listen before reacting in the future.
“I love you,” she whispered. “I love you so much, and I don’t want you to leave. Ever. Promise me you won’t leave me, even if I’m stupid enough to try to push you away. Promise you won’t leave.”
“I won’t,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m never leaving you. I love you too much, and I need you in my life, Cree.”
As he held her in his arms, Tristan didn’t think he could ever let her go. Yeah, he thought he could walk out the door and leave her alone, thought that would be the best for both of them. He was wrong and was lying to himself. He might’ve messed up back then, but he planned to spend the rest of his life showing her how much he loved her.
Tristan wasn’t sure how long they stood that way, but the longer he held her in his arms, some of the anxiousness fell away. They were going to make it. They had to. He couldn’t envision his future without her in it.
After another few minutes of holding her close, he placed a kiss close to her ear, then lifted his head. He cupped her face between his hands, and with the pad of his thumb, he brushed a couple of errant tears from her cheeks.
“I can’t apologize enough for my role in everything that happened to us, but please forgive me, baby.”
It wasn’t until she wiped his face that he realized a few tears had slipped through.
“I already have, Tristan. I forgive both of us. What happened back in the day, despite what I once thought, wasn’t on you. I accept responsibility for my role in that mess. We can’t go back and fix what happened, but we can move forward and try to get it right this time. So, you can’t just leave.” She shrugged. “You’re mine. You belong to me.”
Tristan chuckled though his heart still ached. Still cupping her face, he bent down and kissed her.
“I love you so damn much. Thank you for giving us another chance. I won’t let you down.”
“Me too,” she said and covered his mouth with hers. The kiss started slow and tender, but soon they were both moaning.
Tristan slid his hands down her body, then gripped her butt cheeks before lifting her. Cree’s legs immediately went around his waist, and he slowly carried her across the room.
“I had my heart set on making omelets for us, but I think we need to kiss and make up properly before we eat,” she said as he neared the bed.
Tristan nodded as she peppered kisses on his face.
