I toss the contents of my bag before remembering that I didn’t bring an extra set of clothes with me to change into. “So is your stalking.”
“I wouldn’t have to stalk you if you’d just talk to me.”
My disbelieving laugh is loud in the small room. “That’s the funniest lie you’ve ever told me. You’ve been stalking me since the day we met.”
“We met when we were six,” he replies matter-of-factly.
If glares could melt flesh and bone, he’d be a puddle on the floor. “You know what I mean. And I’m not in the mood to fight with you.”
Spotting one of Keith’s dress shirts hanging from a hook on the wall, I grab it and take it into the bathroom. Of course, Aleksander follows me in there, too.
“If that’s what needs to happen. Hit me. Yell at me. Do whatever the hell you need to do, so we can get back to being us.”
I yank off my sodden tee and toss it into the trash, then slip on Keith’s shirt over my sports bra. He’s much bulkier than I am, and the hem reaches my knees. It smells like his aftershave, but I’d rather have that than smell like a brewery for the rest of the night.
Rolling up the long sleeves, I meet Aleksander’s steely gaze in the mirror. “There is nous.”
Stepping close, his finger lightly brushes over the curve of my shoulder, and goose flesh instantly erupts all over my body. He’s barely touching me, but I feel iteverywhere.
“There has always been an us, Songbird.”
My breaths grow shallow when his finger moves slowly down the sleeve of my scarred arm to my hand. “Please don’t call me that.”
“Why?”
I squeeze my eyes shut when his thumb lightly sweeps over the trio of my diamond wedding bands. “That’s why.”
His hand furls around my wrist, and with a gentle tug, he turns me around. It takes me a moment before I’m able to lookup at him, and when I do, the quiet heartache etched into his face almost destroys me.
“I took a vow of forever, Aleksander. Thatmeanssomething to me.”
“I would never ask you to break that vow.”
Needing an anchor to steady me, I grab hold of the belt loops of his jeans. “I can’t be the woman you want me to be.”
“I never wanted you to be anything other than you.”
Why does he have to make this so hard?
“Then what do you want from me?”
He lifts his hand to my chest and presses his palm flat over my racing heart. “I just want a small place inside here. This is my home.”
“I have to admit, that was a bloody good line.”
I jump a good five feet at the sound of Hendrix’s voice and crack my elbow against the side of the porcelain sink.Motherfucker, that hurt.Rubbing out the ache, I move away from Aleksander.
“Don’t stop on my account.” Hendrix leans a casual shoulder on the jamb like he has all damn day.
“We were just talking.”
He quirks a haughty blond brow, his blue eyes roaming down the open shirt I haven’t buttoned up yet. “I can see that.”
I yank the ends together. “I got beer spilled on me.”
“Uh-huh.”
“It’s Keith’s shirt.”
