Her face fell, all playfulness, and smiles were gone from her features. She blew out a huge breath. “Okay.”
That was all she said before she turned and started walking toward the bedroom.
“I’ll be right here when you get back, darlin’,” I called out.
She turned back to look at me over her shoulder and gave a small nod before she disappeared down the hall.
I leaned my head back and then rolled my neck, needing to release the tension in my muscles.
Something told me when we talked, what I would hear would be bigger than I probably originally thought.
But that wouldn’t stop me from protecting her.
ChapterNine
CAPRI
I’d been temptedto hide in the shower all night.
My past had finally caught up with me, and it threatened to consume my future. In actuality, it had been doing that already since the morning I saw my parents murdered. But with the new developments and Paxton’s persistence, this was a completely different future I’d never felt as if I could have. One that included my own bakery, friends, and possibly the biggest thing I’d sworn I’d never consider again.
A man.
But Paxton wasn’t just any man. He’d proven that to me multiple times in a matter of a couple of days. So, there I was, running a brush through my wet hair as I replayed everything he’d said to me about trusting him, not running, how he felt there was something between us, and I couldn’t help but feel as giddy as a schoolgirl with her first crush.
I knew I needed to tread carefully and not get my hopes up because there was a good chance after we talked it would be Paxton who would turn tail and run in the other direction as fast as those powerful legs he had would take him.
Time would tell.
I may have been in Portland for years, but even while I’d been there I always had one foot out the door ready to flee again.
Maybe it was time to stand my ground?
My eyes assessed myself in the mirror and I blew out a breath. I couldn’t hide forever. Not in the bathroom anyway. I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin.
You can do this.
Thinking I could stall a little longer from our talk, I grabbed a bottle of cherry-red nail polish so I could paint my toes.
I padded down the hall and when I reached the living room, I stopped dead in my tracks. All the air in my lungs seized when my gaze took in the scene before me.
There sat Paxton on a blanket, a couple candles flickering on the coffee table, light music playing in the background, wine already poured, and Thai food spread out in front of him. God it smelled amazing, but the sight was much more heavenly.
“Come eat, darlin.”
“Why?” I whispered, still not moving. I didn’t know what I did to deserve all that.
Paxton stood and came toward me. When he was right in front of me, he looked at me with his deep sapphire-blue eyes and said, “Because we’re about to share a lot of personal stuff so I figured we should have our first date beforehand.”
Did he just say date?
He held out his hand and my eyes glanced down to it outstretched and waiting. When I placed my palm in his, a spark shot up my arm and butterflies fluttered in my belly. My gaze whipped back to him and I could tell he felt it too.
Was it bad that I wanted to forgo the dinner, pretend that it was at least date three, and drag him back to my bedroom?
Who am I right now?
His nostrils flared. “Don’t make this harder than it already is for me to be the perfect gentleman. We need to eat and talk, but God, Capri, I promise I will have you under me and my mouth on every inch of your skin one day soon if you let me.”
