She was starting to wonder too. Maybe she should’ve just handled this via mail. But it was more than the envelope in her purse that had brought her here.
“I—I have something for you.” Mia took a brave step closer, her legs trembling. “But first there’s something I want to say.”
He stuffed his hands into his pockets, regarding her with those patient blue eyes. “All right.”
“Things were kind of crazy when I left with the flood and all. And I was caught off guard when you ended things.”
He started to speak.
But she held up a hand, needing to get this out. “A lot has happened in the past two weeks. Life-changing stuff. It’s made me realize that there are some things that went unsaid when I was here. Or maybe I just wasn’t brave enough to say them.
“Opening up is something I have to work at, Levi. And I thought I was making good headway while I was here. But last night I realized I’d left out the most important thing of all.” She found his eyes, locked onto them, relieved to find warmth there in the blue depths.
Tension crackled between them, and her heart jimmied in her chest.
“I love you, Levi,” she said in a throaty whisper. “I knew it even before I left, but I never had the—”
Suddenly he was there, his lips on hers. His hands framing her face, his body flush against hers. Heat and warmth and heaven.
She surrendered to his touch, her heart breathing a sigh of relief. She’d been so afraid...
But he was kissing her like she was all he’d ever wanted. Like he’d never let her go again. She lapped it up, every brush of his lips, every sexy sigh. And she couldn’t seem to stop the curve of her lips.
She felt his responding smile just before he pulled away, their breaths falling heavily between them.
His eyes, filled with so many wonderful things, pierced hers. “I love you too, Mia. Probably goes without saying.”
“A girl can never hear that too many times.”
“I love you.” He rubbed her nose with his. “I’ve missed you so much. I’ve been beating myself up for acting so rashly that night. I never should’ve let you go. But I thought— I didn’t think you saw me as a permanent fixture in your life.”
“Let’s not ever break up again,” she said lightly. “I don’t think my heart can take it.”
He regarded her steadily, his thumb brushing her cheek. “You’re it for me, Mia. There’s no one else.”
His words hit a soft target deep inside. “I feel the same, Levi. But we do have some challenges ahead, especially geographically.”
“We’ll manage them as they come,” he said. “It won’t be forever.”
“I’ll be in Ireland for a couple months, but we can keep in touch. And I usually have long breaks between projects.”
“You could come here...”
Her smile broadened. She might’ve been beaming. “Icouldcome here.”
“See...” Levi gave her a sleepy-eyed smile. “Look at us, handling the challenges.”
“Look at us.” Her eyes fell to his mouth, and her lips soon followed. This kiss was slower, but her heartbeat was not.
He commandeered the kiss, pulling her closer, making her remember all the delicious ways he liked to please her. His uncanny ability to make her forget the outside world. Except the outside world was one of the things she’d come to talk to him about.
Reluctantly she eased away. Just until their breaths mingled in the space between them. She played with the soft hair at the back of his neck. “I know you have a lot on your plate, Levi. But I want to share those burdens just the way you shared mine. I want to make your life easier, not more difficult.”
His lips twitched. “Funny thing, that. Seems I may have been overreaching where my sisters were concerned. I got fired from my position as leader of their lives. And as you know, I was overstepping with the inn too. We’re working it out. There’s plenty of room for you in my life, Mia. I’m sorry I ever made you feel like there wasn’t.”
She did love a man who could admit when he was wrong. “Good for you, Levi. I’m proud of you.”
When she lowered her hand to his arm, her purse dropped to her elbow. Something rattled. The envelope.
