It took a minute for my leg to remember how to work, but in no time at all we were cruising down the road and back to Susan’s house.
“I’m proud of you,” Peyton said from the passenger’s seat. I looked over, reaching across the middle console to take her hand.
“Thanks, Peyton.”
“Life is falling into place for you,” she said quietly. “You got everything you ever wanted.”
“Peyton,” I said hesitantly. “What’s wrong? You seem like you’re not thrilled that I’m better and can go back to work.”
“Should I be?” she asked, dropping my hand like it was on fire. “Should I be thrilled that you’re going back to the only thing that ever separated us to begin with?”
“That’s not fair,” I said, peeling my eyes off the road to look at her. “That’s not fair at all.”
“Can you really blame me?” she demanded, and for a long moment I wasn’t sure I could. Because she was right. Firefighting was the thing that came between us the first time, would it do the same the second time?
“No,” I said softly. “I don’t really blame you. But I am asking you to forgive me. I messed up. That’s on me.”
“Yeah,” Peyton said. “That is on you.”
I took her hand again, holding it tighter when she fought me briefly, and it didn’t take long for her to relax again. As I pulled into her mother’s driveway, turning off the engine, Peyton started to get out of the car, but I stopped her, pulling her back.
“What is it?” she asked, eyes searching my face. “Are you okay?”
“I wanted to ask you something,” I said, cradling her hand between mine. “My buddy Tate is getting married next week and I’m the best man. He—he said I should invite someone if I want to.” I took a breath, hoping she wouldn’t find this insulting somehow and dump me on the spot. “Would you like to go?”
Peyton was silent for a moment as she stared at me, and for a long, uncertain moment I knew she would refuse me. But she didn’t. Instead, she smiled, a genuine smile that seemed to light her up from the inside.
“I’d love to,” she said. “I would really love to.”
Chapter16
Peyton
“You look beautiful today. How are you feeling?” Jake reached across the bar and took my hands in his, squeezing them between his. I couldn’t help but to giggle at his comment, because I knew I looked anything but beautiful. Tired, probably. Ragged. Worn out. A mess.
“You’re sweet,” I said. “But I don’t believe you. And I’m okay. Okay as I can be, I think.”
“You’re getting the results for Susan’s chemo this evening, aren’t you?” he asked, raising the back of my hand to his lips to kiss it. The sensation of his warm lips against my skin sent a shiver of desire through me, and I swallowed.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “We’re hoping for good news.”
Jake had asked me to meet him today at his home, a beautiful high rise penthouse suite in the city that overlooked the Denver skyline. It was stunning, it really was, and it felt like the more I got to know this man, the more I enjoyed his company. He was rich, handsome, successful—all the things a woman looked for in their future husband. And he was kind. He liked me, without reservations, and I felt the same way about him.
Once or twice Rem had asked me why I was even bothering with Jake when I had a newly blooming relationship with Korbin, and I had tried to explain it was because I wasn’t about to put all my eggs in Korbin’s basket. He’d broken my heart before, and my guard was up. We could have fun, sure, and Jake knew that we’d kissed—but at the end of the day I wanted something serious. I wanted dedication. I wanted love. And I wasn’t sure if Korbin was capable of that. He hadn’t been the first time.
“This view is astounding,” I said to Jake, getting up from his kitchen bar to cross the living room floor, gazing out over the foggy city. “I could definitely be okay with waking up to this every morning.”
Jake chuckled, coming up behind me to lace his hands around my stomach, kissing my neck until I trembled with pleasure. Sometimes I forgot how nice it felt to be with him until I was there again, being treated like a woman and not a booty call. Don’t get me wrong, the sex with Korbin was great. But I wanted more. Ineededmore.
“Thank you,” I said, turning to face Jake. He kissed me, and I kissed him back, relishing the taste of him, the softness of his lips, the smooth features of his flawless face. He was gorgeous, this man, and it would take an idiot not to notice.
“Thank you for what?” he murmured, resting his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes and breathed him in, wishing I could stay just like this, forever.
“Thank you for being so patient with me,” I whispered. “Thank you for wanting to see me, even if I’m still so confused.”
“Confused about what?”
“Everything. You. Korbin. What I want and what I don’t want.”
