“At the shop. I think.”
His eyebrows bobbed up. “You walked all the way from the shop in heels and no coat during a snowstorm.”
“Well, I got your note, and I had to talk to you, so I didn’t really have much time to plan things out.”
A grin began to tug at his lips, crinkling the corners of his eyes. “Anne Elliot without a plan?”
“I know,” she said with a soft laugh. “It’s been a big week.”
His smile faltered, as if he was considering the full weight of the past few days. Then he started toward her, reaching over and pulling a thick wool blanket from the arm of the sofa on his way.
Anne stood like a stone as he made his way across the room, keeping his gaze locked on her. It felt like her heart was beating outside her body, like he would be able to see if he looked close enough. But his eyes never left her own.
He stopped inches from her, close enough that she could feelthe heat of his body on her freezing skin. Then he lifted the blanket and gently wrapped it around her, tucking it up close to her neck and cinching it tight across her chest. It was so warm she almost groaned, closing her eyes and letting the smell of his cologne surround her as she began to thaw.
“You broke up with me so I would go to Argentina.”
Her eyes snapped open again to find him still watching her, studying her reaction.
“How do you know that?” she whispered.
“Your mother told me.”
Anne’s mouth fell open. “What?”
“I ran into her tonight outside the shop.”
Oh God.She tried to think of what to say, words that might mitigate his hurt, or anger, or whatever he was feeling, because—
“I’m sorry, Annie,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.
She blinked. “What are you sorry for?”
“That I didn’t figure it out sooner. That you were put in that position to begin with.” He sighed. “That I didn’t listen for so long before that or talk about the things we needed to. But I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere. I want to discuss all of it, plan everything, do the hard stuff, but do it together. If you’ll let me.”
She stared up at him for a moment. The strong line of his jaw. The varied shades of green in his eyes. The messy brown hair. And then, she saw him. Her Freddie, the one she thought she had lost eight years ago. He was staring down at her, battle-worn and bruised, but it was him.
She smiled. “We don’t have to planeverything.”
He took a step closer, bringing his body almost flush with hers. “No?”
“No. In fact, I learned recently that it’s okay to be spontaneous once in a while.”
His grin returned. “Is that so?”
She nodded. “Yes, I can give you some pointers.”
“I’d like that.” He reached up and brushed a strand of wet hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “I love you, Annie.”
Joy swelled in her chest, so bright and warm that she couldn’t feel her cold skin anymore. She could only see him. “I love you, too, Freddie.”
He let out a long breath. “God, I missed hearing you say that.”
She couldn’t stop herself anymore. She stood up on her tiptoes, angling her mouth to his, and kissed him, warm and slow. He stilled, then his arms were around her, kissing her back like he had been starved of her. Then he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he started toward his bedroom.
The door flew open and suddenly they couldn’t get close enough—wet clothes and ruined shoes were torn off and abandoned on the floor as they fell into bed, their hands exploring their naked bodies, desperate and needy.
“I love you so much,” he murmured in her ear.
