“Yes, if you’ll come with me.”
“But—”
“Mr. Heely,” I turn to the man, reading the name on his badge. He looks to be in his mid-twenties, no doubt an intern. “We’ll be there in two minutes, we’re right behind you. Please go ahead.”
The man looks like he’s about to argue before he nods and steps back outside. I don’t bother closing the door behind me as I rush to Sylvie’s side. “I’m late, I’m sorry.” My voice is rough, even to my own ears as I cup her jaw and press my forehead to hers, feeling calmer than I have in days. “We’ll talk after the meeting. I’m here to support you, okay. I’m here if you need anything.”
“I… I don’t have a witness.”
“Then I will take that spot. Let’s go, baby. We can’t keep them waiting.”
She nods and takes my hand when I offer it. I read the question in her eyes but decide to push them back as she grabs her laptop and bag, letting me lead her out of the waiting room.
The meeting isn’t half as interesting as gathering information with Sylvie was. I sit beside her as she presents her case to people who look half-bored to be there, but somehow, my passionate little conservationist draws their attention. And for the ten minutes she’s given, she shows these people—most of whom have never set foot on Adak Island—the beauty of the land and the animals they would be endangering by approving the resort. She shares footage from locals, including one of Acca, who shares an emotional account about sea lions being integral to the Aleut culture and history, on how she grew up on the island with Stellar sea lions. Amakvik talks about fishing with his grandfather and how experiencing the sea lions was the best part of it all. More and more of the people she filmed share eye-witness accounts and stories of Adak Island and their endangered animals. When the footage runs out, she shares her research, and I see it on their faces—the way they follow along with her. I can tell she’s convinced the senate to uphold the protections around the Aleutian Islands.
As I watch her, I fall in love with her all over again, and hell, Acca was right. Not that I would ever tell the old woman that in person, but she was right.
I was a fool to let her go.
The ride to her hotel is quiet, her hand firmly clasped in mine. I read the question in her eyes when I kiss the back of her hand, but she doesn’t voice it. We don’t talk as we walk across the hotel lobby or stand in the elevator up to her room. I oughtto push everything back and celebrate the win she brought us today. Call home and inform Acca and the rest that there will be no resort taking root on our island. I should order champagne and celebrate all the effort she put into this, but I don’t feel deserving of sharing her joy, not after leaving her to do it alone for a week.
But first.
I turn to her the second the hotel room door closes behind us. “Sylvie.”
The words are barely out before I find myself against the wall and lips, soft like the petals of a rose, pressed against mine. Need sinks into me like an animal, clawing at my chest until I forget the need for a conversation. My arm circles her waist as the other drops to her ass, lifting her clear off the ground and spinning us around so her back is against the wall. My mouth opens on hers—filling me with need and hunger unlike anything I’ve ever felt for anyone in my life before.
“Missed you,” she whimpers into the kiss, her fingers settling on my shoulders, cupping my face and dipping into my hair. “Missed you so damn much.”
Fuck.
The weight of her words is like a punch to the gut. And yet again, Acca was right.
“I shouldn’t have let you leave,” I say raggedly, my pulse quickening with every breath that passes between us. “I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have let you leave Adak alone. Not without making sure you’d come back to me.”
She pulls back, those beautiful blue eyes peeking at me through long eyelashes. “You wanted me to come back?”
“I never wanted you to leave in the first place.”
“I thought...” she sighs, dropping her forehead against mine, and I hear her visibly swallow. “I’ve been working myself into a frenzy all week thinking this is the sort of thing you do with other women. I had to force myself to work, or I would have driven myself crazy thinking about it—”
“There’s no one else, Sylvie. There never has been,” I rasp, seeking her lips in a desperate kiss meant to possess. To reclaim what’s mine. “I have never wanted anyone else as much as I want you.”
“Then why did you let me leave?”
“Because you’re perfect and deserve so much more than to be tied to a flawed man like me.”
“And now?” she whispers, her soft breath brushing mine. Her voice needy and her touch gentling in my hair. “Do you still feel the same?”
“Yes, I still think you are the most perfect human, inside and out, and deserve to be with someone much better than an antisocial grump. But the difference is now, I’m not going to let you go. I’m not letting anyone else have you!”
“Good,” she whispers in a shuddering breath. “I want to be with you. Be yours. Remind me I’m yours, Wyatt..”
My cock is hard as nails as I carry her to bed, pulsing achingly behind my zipper, but I ignore it as I’ve done the past week. I didn’t even jerk off when I thought of her—I was punishing myself for letting her go when I could have had the best thing in my life.
No more.
I lay her down on the bed, eyes locked on hers as I press my weight down on top of her. “I love you,” I say, watching as those beautiful eyes light up with surprise, but I don’t give hermuch time to react before pressing my lips to hers and sliding my tongue along hers, seeking her flavor. She moans, hands reaching for my shoulders and tugging at my jacket. I help her by shrugging it off, and slowly, we undress each other until we’re both naked on the bed, kissing like we’re in the deep end, drowning.
