I nodded. Easier said than done, but he was right. This time, it was me freaking out about everything. But he had lied to me and didn’t seem exactly regretful about it.
As if he could sense the direction of my thoughts, he drew a deep breath. “I will never allow your father or anyone else to force me to keep a secret from you, ever again. I am so sorry for my complicity in what happened. I never meant to hurt you, Evie. Protecting my people and protecting you clashed—” He cut himself off and swallowed.
“And I made the wrong choice.”
The declaration rang in the silence of the room.
“I love you so fucking much. I want you here with me every single day. When you walked out that door, my heart broke, but I knew I had to give you time, even though it went against every instinct I have not to go after you. I need you to trust me, Evie. You are the only one I want, the only one I need. You are more important to me than everything.”
Caelan exhaled and fell silent. I turned in his arms and pressed a desperate kiss to his lips, pouring all my love and regret into the touch.
His hands slid through my hair. I straddled him, both of my palms pressed gently against his face.
“Forgive me,” I murmured. “I’m so sorry, Caelan. Everything is coming at me from all sides, and I feel like I can’t trust anyone.”
“Me,” he growled. “You can trust me.”
I pressed my forehead against his. Caelan’s hands slid up my shirt, his palms spanning my waist. “Trusting anyone is difficult. I’m trying. I’ll do better.”
He rose, lifting me effortlessly. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Caelan carried me into the bathroom, gently setting me on the edge of the tub. Without a word, he filled the tub with steaming hot water and poured something in from a decorative glass jar.
The smell of jasmine and roses wafted up as bubbles frothed in the water.
I grinned. “You like girly bubble baths?”
His eyes crinkled at the edges. “I like girly bubble baths with you. Simone bought me this a week ago and told me to get you back because I was ‘being a massive, growly dickhead.’ There’s wine and good cheese in the fridge.”
I laughed. “You don’t have a tub caddy.”
He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “She bought one of those, too. It’s in the closet.”
Simone always thought of everything. I got up and put together a quick cheese board, chuckling at Simone’s selections, plus the wine with the screw top. When I got back to the bathroom, Caelan had already placed the caddy over the top of the tub. He took everything out of my hands and put it on top, then reached for me, nimble fingers unbuttoning my top.
I shivered under his touch, remembering how much I’d craved him when I was having my pity party. But Caelan didn’t touch me in the way I wanted. He was quick and thorough, and when I leaned forward to kiss him, he shook his head. “If we don’t get in the tub now, we won’t make it in there.”
His eyes glowed, and I thought about pushing him, but when his eyes narrowed, I reached for him and helped him out of his sweater. And if my hands lingered a little too long over his pecs and abs, I was only a woman, right?
He hauled me against him, a large hand reaching to squeeze my rear end, before he scooped me up and stepped into the tub.
Chapter
Two
Cheese and crackers littered the floor and tub of Caelan’s bathroom, but I couldn’t be bothered to care. We’d lasted ten minutes before his fingers started wandering, and I was helpless against him.
The bed was about a foot away. Caelan and I were tangled together on the floor halfway between the tub and the bed.
“Devil woman,” Caelan murmured against my ear.
I grinned. “I wasn’t the one who got handsy first.”
“Liar. You were handsy before my clothes were off.”
“Yes,” I said demurely, “but I controlled myself once we got into the tub.”
His wicked chuckle vibrated my chest. I gently bit down on his pec muscle. Caelan’s hands tightened on my hips. “Careful, unless you want another round.”
I popped my head up and peered at him. “Your land needs tending to,” I blurted.
