A whoosh of air expels from her lips, and her eyes trace my face in search of a lie. Her shoulders droop, and her arms fall to her sides. "Lottie?”
I nod.
Covering her face with her hand, she lets out a groan. "Oh, my God."
"Did you mean what you said? Do you love me?" I ask, my heart beating rapidly in my chest.
"Does it even matter now?" she mumbles through her fingers.
I pull her hand away and tilt her chin. Her eyes meet mine. "Of course, it matters."
A tear leaks from the corner of her eye, and I wipe it away with the pad of my thumb. "Yes… But I thought you were with someone else," she replies, waving her hand around for emphasis.
"Well, I thought you left to go to Dubai with Marcus."
Her eyes go wide. "What? Why?"
"After our argument, I came to see you, but you were jogging to the car holding your passport. I thought you chose him."
A snort of laughter escapes her. "No. Molly and I were seeing him off at the airport."
"So, you aren't going to try again with Marcus?"
She shakes her head. "No, but he is Molly's dad…and a friend.”
I didn't know how badly I needed to hear her say those words to me. "I'm not good enough for you," I say, the thoughts which have plagued me finally passing the confines of my mind.
She goes to step towards me, but I notice she is unsteady on her feet, and then I remember she's likely drunk and direct her back to the couch. "Olly, you're the best man I've ever known."
Her words slice through me, melting my worry and anxiety. "I'm flawed like anyone else."
"We all are," she replies, her trembling hand reaching up to stroke my cheek.
I squeeze my eyes closed. Her touch eases my internal battle. "Could you see yourself with someone as flawed as me, though?"
She leans forward, and I can smell the alcohol on her breath. "Yes."
She seals the word with a scorching kiss, and I can barely think straight. I am lost, drunk on the slide of her tongue and the way she kisses me with determination and purpose.
When we pull apart, I rest my forehead against hers. "Will you stay with me tonight?"She nods. But I clarify, "Just so I can hold you—nothing else."
Her forehead forms a frown.
"I'm still getting over my surgery, and as much as I want to make love to you, I won't while you're intoxicated. I want you to be right there with me."
"Oh," she breathes.
A soft smile forms on her perfect face. She strokes my jaw, and my dick twitches. Damn, she makes it impossible not to want her. I stand and hold out my hand; she takes it without hesitation. I'll do whatever it takes to make this work between us.
Chapter Sixty-Four
RACHEL
My head pounds without mercy, my mouth so dry, I can barely swallow. My tongue sweeps over my front teeth. I sit up too fast and have to lay back down, covering my eyes with my forearm, groaning out loud from the effort.
"Morning." Olly's deep baritone voice greets me, and I struggle to remember what the hell happened.
"Why do I feel like death warmed up?" I ask.
