I could have tried to leave, but what was the point? I wasdone attempting to resist this man. Done pretending I didn’t miss him terribly.
‘I am so sorry,’ Patrick said quietly, closing the door and leaning against it. ‘I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight.’
My heart sank, but only a little. What I’d seen out there, in his eyes, was enough to convince me Patrick still cared for me. ‘And did that make it … what you sang … would me not being here have made it less true?’
Patrick shook his head slowly, a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. ‘No. No, it was all true. It’s all true, Jessy. God, I am so, so sorry for how I behaved. For how I spoke about your mum …’
I swallowed. ‘I won’t lie, you hurt me. Like, really bad.’
‘I’m sorry.’
I could tell he was – that hurting me had hurt him just as keenly. ‘Laura and Anna are really pissed at you.’
Patrick winced. ‘Fair. They did warn me never to hurt you. Look, there’s – there’s no excuse for what I said.’
God, there was nothing I wanted more than to launch myself into his arms – but I couldn’t do it. Not yet. I needed to know he was more than just sorry. I needed to be sure he would never treat me like that again.
I was worth that.
Patrick took a deep, steadying breath. ‘I totally understand if you don’t want to – I mean, if this is over. If you’ve moved on. You do deserve better, and if you choose to end this for good … I mean, I get it. But you should know, if there’s even a tiny part of you that wants to try again … to make this work, make this real –’
My heart was thundering, my fingertips pressed into my palms, and I was so desperate for him to keep going.
I wanted him. But I had to protect myself.
Patrick’s smile was steady, his voice certain. ‘I’ll never behave like that again. I’ll never turn on you like that. I’ll always ask for your side of the story – because I trust you, Jessy.’
And that was all I needed to hear.
I closed the distance between us in seconds, kissing him and almost whimpering in relief.
This was where I belonged: in Patrick’s arms. I never wanted to be parted from him again.
Patrick clung on to me just as tightly, as though he was scared I would disappear if he wasn’t holding me.
The kiss deepened: pleasure poured through me, sparks of bliss tingling across my body, and I had the vague thought that – if we weren’t careful – Anna’s borrowed outfit was going to live up to its name as ‘the fuck-me dress’.
Patrick broke the kiss. ‘I’m so sorry, I’m such a dick –’
‘You are a dick,’ I said with a nod. His face was an absolute picture, and I had to laugh. ‘What, you think I was going to disagree? Nope, you’ve still got some making up to do before I let you forget it.’
I wouldn’t really hold it over him. But he didn’t need to know that.
Patrick let out a breathy laugh. ‘I was a complete jerk,’ he said fiercely, not letting go of me as he stared deep into my eyes. ‘Just because I’ve been messed about in the past, that doesn’t mean – you areyou. You’re Jessy. You’re not anyone else.’
A smile slid across my face. ‘Yeah, I know.’
‘But it took me too long to get it, and I’m sorry,’ Patrick said earnestly, his eyes bright.
I knew that. He’d told me numerous times already. But more importantly, I could see it in his face, the genuine regret.
‘I know.’ I smiled simply.
Patrick kissed me hard, and I moaned. My fingers itched to pull his hair and take the kiss deeper, but I tried to remember we were in public – in a room anyone could walk into at any moment.
‘And I won’t interfere,’ Patrick said quietly, nuzzling at my collarbone with his nose. ‘With your job – your work, I mean – you can meet a thousand guys, or girls, for whatever –’
‘You don’t need to worry about that,’ I interrupted, trying not to laugh. ‘Patrick –’
