“Not at all.” Stone’s eyes swam with regret. “Not on my part, at least. I didn’t even like her. She was a grade-A bitch, and she wanted everyone to know it. I looked past that, and we became friends.”
“With benefits,” Stevie noted.
Stone shrugged. “I didn’t realize she wanted more. Or that her dad wouldexpectmore. He gave me an ultimatum: marry her or move on. I opted for the latter.”
Stevie hated herself for asking, but… “So you didn’t love her?”
Stone was still looking at her, his hazel eyes intent. “No. I’ve never loved anyone else.” His voice dropped an octave. “Only you.”
Stone wasn’t proud of what he’d done; that was clear. It was then she realized she wasn’t the only one who’d been hurt by his actions. Walking away hadn’t been easy for him, either. Whether she should or not, Stevie believed him.
Not that it solved all her issues, but it helped. She still harbored a lot of hurt from him leaving her with promises he never intended to keep.
“Are you stickin’ around this time?” She needed to hear him say the words. She needed to see the truth in his eyes.
“Yes.” His hands stilled on her legs. “That’s about the only thing I’m certain of right now. I’m not leavin’ again.”
“Okay.”
As soon as the word was out of her mouth, Stone exhaled heavily. Had he been worried she’d think he was lying? She’d never seen this vulnerable side of him before. Back when they’d been together, he’d been the larger-than-life, cocky man who knew what he wanted and didn’t take no for an answer.
“I’m startin’ over,” Stone said, glancing between them. “And I’m hopin’ to do it with y’all in my life.”
Stevie looked at Nico. He was watching her, not Stone. She wasn’t sure what he was thinking because he had a way of masking his expression, making him impossible to read.
Jäger stirred on the couch and a second later, he was crawling into Stone’s lap, his tail wagging as he sniffed and snorted.
“I should take him out,” Nico said, getting to his feet.
Stone shifted back when Nico reached for Jäger, picking him up and carrying him toward the back door.
When it was just the two of them, Stone looked at her. “I should probably head home. The roads should be fine now.”
She knew he was right. The sun was out, and the temperature was above freezing. The remnants of yesterday’s mild storm would be gone completely by nightfall. It was one of the benefits of living this far south.
Stevie nodded. “Maybe we can meet up to go over your business plan. You know, once you put it together.”
Stone’s hands slid over her hips, cupping her butt as he pulled her closer. “How about dinner? Tomorrow night. My place.”
“Maybe.”
He flashed a grin, urging her closer with his hands on her back. Stevie leaned in, unable to resist him despite knowing this was moving too fast. She already wished he wouldn’t leave, but she knew it was the best for all of them. They needed some space, some time to process what happened last night.
“You think one day you might forgive me?” Stone whispered, his breath fanning her lips.
“There’s a good possibility.”
“That’s all I need to hear.” He cupped her face, his thumb brushing along her cheek. “The one thing I’ve learned over the years is to never take anything for granted. I did it once, and I’ve been unhappy ever since. I don’t intend to do it again.”
Warmth curled like smoke ribbons in her chest. She wanted to believe him. Right now, she actually did. And that scared her because she was nothing if not pragmatic. She tried to see the best in people, but she was quick to dismiss them when they hurt her. Stevie had convinced herself that life was too short to dwell on the hurt and anger. Sure, it’d taken years for her to believe that, and this man was the reason.
“I won’t let you break my heart again,” she whispered.
Stone’s eyes turned glassy. “I’ll do my damnedest not to.”
“And I’ll never forgive you if you break Nico’s.”
His gaze bounced over her face. “I don’t intend to.”
