At least some of the fury faded from her expression. “So you thought leavin’ for fifteen years was the answer?”
“I didn’t even know where I was goin’ when I left,” he exclaimed, emotion beginning to choke him. “I just knew I needed to protect you from that. If word got out that we did … what we did…”
Stevie took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m not contesting that part. But you shouldn’t have lied.”
“I shouldn’t have,” he conceded. “You deserved a helluva lot more from me. I’m sorry. Sincerely sorry.”
Her gaze shifted to the mug in her hand. “I don’t know if I can forgive you.”
“I won’t blame you if you don’t.” He waited until she looked up. “It might not mean anything, but I’ve never loved anyone but you, Stevie. I’ve never even tried because I knew it wouldn’t matter. You were it for me, and I left. I punished myself by rememberin’ everything I loved about you. And I compared every woman I met to you. No one could ever come close.” Her eyes glittered with unshed tears, but he forged ahead. “I’d already found the one, but I was stupid enough to let that go. I deserved to be alone.”
Stevie jumped up from her seat and raced to the kitchen. The coffee mug clanged in the stainless-steel sink, and a second later, he heard her crying.
Hating himself for upsetting her, Stone followed her into the kitchen.
He reached for her but stopped at the last second, choosing to stand directly behind her instead. “Oh, girl. Please don’t cry.”
She shook her head.
“I’m so sorry, Stevie.”
She shook her head again.
Stone couldn’t resist. He put his hands on her shoulders, and a flood of sensation filled him. Touching her brought back so much, and he wasn’t referring to a sexual response, although that was impossible to deny. But touching her, being with her … back then, it was all he cared about. It didn’t matter where they were or what they were doing. As long as he was with Stevie, he could breathe.
Stone leaned down, keeping his voice low. “Baby, I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”
She continued to cry, her body jerking from her sobs, so he urged her to turn around. When she finally did, he wrapped his arms around her, propping his chin on her head and holding on tight. It felt like someone kicked him in the chest, knocking the air right out of him. And it was still the best feeling. Maybe the only thing he’d actually felt in the past fifteen years. With the exception of kissing Nico a short time ago.
“Please don’t cry,” he whispered, running his hand over her silky hair. “I’ll spend the rest of my life makin’ it up to you as long as you’ll let me into your life. As friends,” he tacked on, so she didn’t think he was expecting anything else.
He wanted more. Damn straight, he did. Even with a decade and a half separating them, Stone knew without a doubt that Stevie was still the only woman he would ever love. She was just as vibrant now as she had been then. Maybe even more so. And when he looked at her, it was like coming out of a gloomy gray fog that had shrouded him all that time.
When she finally tilted her head back, Stone used his thumbs to brush the tears away. Her dark brown eyes were the color of rich coffee, brighter because of her pain. He hated that he was the one responsible.
He didn’t lean in, didn’t attempt to kiss her. Instead, he whispered, “God, I’ve missed you, Stevie.”
“I’ve missed you, too. Even though I still hate you.”
Those words would’ve felt like a gut punch, but she smiled softly.
“Think maybe we can try to move past that?”
“Maybe. But you’re gonna have to work for it.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.” And he would. Stone intended to prove to her that he was worthy of her. And yes, he would settle for friendship if that was all she was willing to give him.
He was still cupping her face, and she still had her arms around him. Neither of them moved. Remaining just like that until a thump sounded from the front of the house.
Stevie laughed.
“What was that?”
“Your boot. Jäger’s got a thing for boots.”
Reluctantly, Stone released her and headed toward the door. Sure enough, Jäger had his boot’s pull strap in his mouth and was attempting to drag it across the floor, but he couldn’t get traction on the hardwood.
“You know that’s not yours,” Stone told him, snatching up one of the many toys on the floor. He traded his boot for a toy.
