“Kayden—”
“I’ve got to go.”
He hung up before his brother could get another word in, watching as Tilly climbed out of the car. Blood pumped faster in his veins, his heart taking off in his chest. She was so damn beautiful. Even while her eyes were sad and her lips downcast, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He’d taken that for granted. Then let the insecure parts of him screw everything up and hurt her.
He didn’t move right away, instead taking a moment to breathe. Run over the words he had to say to her in his head. Until, finally, he felt capable of going to her.
Every step felt harder than the last because he knew the chance of her forgiving him, the chance of her taking him back, was slim. And God, that hurt.
In the building, Pixie looked up from behind the desk. “Hey, Kayden.”
He dipped his head, not trusting his voice to work. Not yet. When he reached her office, he didn’t knock, and he wasn’t sureif that was a smart decision or not, just knew that he couldn’t risk her not allowing him in.
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
Tilly was on her feet by the printer. When she turned, her mouth opened, but no words came out. For a second, they both just stood there, and he almost felt frozen in the moment of uncertainty.
But he forced the two words out of his mouth. Words he’d already texted her. Words he needed her to hear in person…to know that he meant. “I’m sorry.”
Her brows flickered, but still she remained silent. Just continued to stare at him like she didn’t know what to do. He didn’t either.
He took a chance and stepped toward her. “There’s no reason you should listen to anything I have to say. I didn’t listen to you when you needed me to. But Iamsorry. I messed up. I was in a bad headspace. I’d just found out the guy who bought my dad’s house has plans to knock it down, and I just…I built a story in my head where you were the villain, because in that moment I needed someone to blame, and that someone became you.”
Another step toward her. Another beat of silence.
“I can’t take back what I did,” he continued, so quietly he wasn’t even sure his words crossed the distance. “But Icantell you that I’ll do better next time. That I’ll work harder to be the man you deserve. To be your protector and your greatest advocate.”
One more step forward before he stopped. He was just reaching out a hand when she stepped back, and that small distance she put between them felt like a mile.
“Kayden…” Her voice was a pained whisper. “I can’t do this. Not now. Not today.”
Her words slashed at his skin like a blade. “Do what?”
“Us.” The word was spoken quietly, but it may as well have been a shout, it rang so loudly throughout the room. “I appreciate your apology, and maybe I even believe that youwantto trust me, but I don’t think you ever can…not completely. Not in the way I need. And I’ll always be waiting for the next thing to pop up to give you reason to question me.”
How was he supposed to argue that when everything she said was somethinghe’dmade her feel? “I’ll prove it to you.”
This time when he stepped forward and reached for her hand, she didn’t pull away. He grazed the back of it with his thumb before lowering his head so his mouth almost touched her ear. Then he whispered, “I will earn your trust back. That’s a promise I’m making to you here and now.”
He was almost certain he felt a small shudder work its way down her body.
He wanted to kiss her. To let his lips touch her cheek just one time. But she needed to know she could trust him…trust that this thing between them wasn’t just physical. So instead, he straightened and stepped back.
He held her gaze for one more beat before forcing himself to turn and leave the room, maintaining the firm belief that he would get her back.
CHAPTER 22
“These might be a bit strong, but I thought, what the hell, we both have the night off. Let’s go crazy.”
Tilly eyed the four cocktails on the tray suspiciously. Yes, four…for the two of them. “I don’t know if alcohol and my current mood are a good combination.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. Cocktails are great for broken hearts. But if you don’t want them, I’m happy to take them all.” To prove her point, Harper lifted a glass and took a big sip.
They were at the bar, and Tilly was taking a well-deserved night off from worrying about everything. Her father. Kayden. She’d been thinking about both of them far too much this last week. Especially Kayden. It was kind of unavoidable when the guy worked with her and seemed to have every reason under the sun to visit her office ten times a day. It was like in the week since the incident with her dad, he suddenly had a million work questions, and they were all directed her way.
“You’re right.” Tilly lifted the first cocktail and cringed at the heavy taste of rum. “Okay, I think this is supposed to be a Mai Tai but you seem to have forgotten some of the juice and grenadine.”
“Nope. Didn’t forget.” Harper lifted the stick with the cherry and slid it into her mouth. “We’re having a night off, remember?”
