“Eden,” he said softly, eyes caught on my face. “Is everything okay?”
“No. I screwed up. Big time. I was hoping you’d give me the chance to apologize.”
Milo reached out to clasp my free hand and pulled me into the house. I thought he might yank me straight into his arms, but he paused, his eyes searching. Whatever he saw there must have reassured him, because he let his gaze slide slowly down, following the way the dress clung to my breasts, waist, and hips. The moment he reached my shoes, he drew a tight breath as a groan rumbled in his chest.
“You don’t need to apologize for anything, Eden, but I have to admit that this giving you space thing is not my favorite.”
“I hated every second of it,” I confessed. “I just wanted you to be safe.”
“Eden,” he began, but I shook my head.
“My head was all mixed up, because I feel responsible for what happened. If someone from my parents’ church is behind this, I brought that into your life. It’s my fault.”
“No, it isn’t. If I’d known this is what you were battling, I would never have let you shut me out.”
I drew a tight breath. “I just thought it wasn’t fair to make you suffer through it with me.”
Now his hands went to my waist, then eased around to the small of my back. I let my tote bag fall to the floor and tangled my arms around his shoulders. His head dipped so he could brush his nose along my jaw, nuzzling the space under my ear until I shivered.
“I suffered through it without you anyway. Next time, can we agree to suffer together?”
“Yes,” I whispered when his lips touched my throat.
“Did you wear those shoes just for me?”
“Yes.”
“Eden,” he growled. “I hope to hell that bag means you’re planning to spend the night. I’m tired of sleeping without you.”
“It does,” I murmured, “but I have a surprise for you, so you can’t just tear my dress off and have your wicked way with me.”
Milo drew back to lift a brow. “A surprise? Will I like it as much as your last surprise?”
I smiled at him as every bit of the pain from our time apart melted away under the intensity of his expression. His gaze dipped, following the curve of my lips. The heat in his eyes remained, but it was tempered now by something soft and tender.
“Well, I’m not sure about that, but I wanted to do something special for you,” I hedged.
His arms tightened around me. “You, Eden, are the most special thing in the world to me. All I need is you, right here with me, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I breathed, just before his lips descended to capture mine.
And for the first time in my life, I believed it, because all I needed in that moment was the sweet warmth of his love wrapping around me as snugly as his arms.
This, I realized, was paradise—and we found it together.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Milo
Latethatnight,Edenfinally explained what had been driving her reaction after Libby stitched her up. In hushed tones, she confessed the worry weighing on her heart, her fear for my safety, her guilt over bringing me into what she considered her mess.
My heart broke for her even as hope flared blindingly bright inside me.
If she was willing to suffer that misery to keep me safe, then I wasn’t wrong to believe she was in love with me, whether she said the words or not.
“I should have told you about the note on the brick,” I murmured against the top of her hair.
“Even if you had, I think I still would have reacted the same way. I can’t bear the thought of you getting hurt, especially not if it’s because of me.”
