27
Savannah
Itried to think of what to say to Alex when I saw him. Most of the flight over here, I went through multiple scenarios, trying to prepare myself for our reunion. Would he be happy to see me, or angry that I was here, uninvited? I had no idea what kind of reception I was in for.
But the instant I stepped out of the taxi and heard the sound of his deep voice calling my name, my nerves disappeared. The hope on his face was enough to make me kiss him deeply, and the feel of his body pressed against mine felt like coming home.
Reluctantly I step back and blush when I see Alex’s mom standing behind us, looking tired but smiling.
“Umm, hi.” I whisper, looking back at him. His eyes crinkle at the corners as he bends down and kisses me again, his lips turned up in a smile.
“Hi,” he murmurs against my mouth.
“Alex, your mom.” I pull away reluctantly.
“Shit.” He backs up swiftly and turns around. “Sorry, Mum, let’s get you inside.” He turns back to me, then back to his mother, bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball.
“Go. Get your mom settled. I’ll wait here.” I push him away gently with a smile. My embarrassment is rapidly growing over the fact that I basically mauled his face in front of his mom. But she looks exhausted and pale. There will be time for introductions later.
Alex takes his mother’s arm and walks slowly toward the front door. At the steps, she stops him and turns back to face me.
“I do hope you’re coming in, Savannah? I’d love to get to know the woman who’s finally opened my Alex’s heart.” Her greeting is warm, and I hope, genuine.
I nod dumbly, unable to think of anything to say to that.
They go inside, and I stay where I am in the driveway for a while longer. Now that I’m here, in front of him again, I’m completely certain that I am meant to be with Alex forever. What I’m still not certain of, however, is whether or not he’s ready for that.
When Alex comes back outside, I’m right where I was when he left. He approaches me slowly, cautiously, as if he, too, is uncertain of how to proceed. Ridiculous, when you consider the fact that mere moments ago, we were kissing as if our lives depended on it.
“Will you come inside?” he asks, and my whole body reacts from the sound of his smooth voice.
“In a minute.” I clutch my hands in front of me, wanting to reach out and touch him, but also knowing I need to get something out first. “Can we talk out here?”
He nods, and gestures to me to walk around the side of the house. In the back, I ogle the beautiful garden, perfectly landscaped. He takes me to a stone bench, secluded by rose bushes and we sit side by side. His thigh is pressed against mine, and the heat from his hard muscles seeps into my skin.
“Can I start?” he asks, rubbing his hands along the tops of his thighs. I nod.
“I’m sorry, Van. Fuck, I’m so bloody sorry I was such an idiot and didn’t listen to you. I don’t blame you at all for being angry. You’re right, I disrespected you, and it doesn’t matter why I did it, it only matters that I did.”
His apology is heartfelt, remorse clear in his tone and in the way his shoulders are hunched over. I reach up and rub my hand over his shoulders, relishing the sensation of touching him freely again. Even though we only had a few days apart, it felt much longer with how much I missed him.
“I’m sorry, too. I let my stubbornness blind me to your kindness.” I lean my head down on his shoulder, and when he turns to press a kiss to the top of my head, I relax into the arm he wraps around me. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize you were telling me how you felt all along. Just not with words.”
He chuckles, and I turn my face up to look at him. His hand cups my chin and he kisses me gently.
“Ah, Savannah, love. I don’t think I even knew how I felt, much less that I was showing you that with my actions. All I knew was that for the first time in my life, I cared about someone more than myself. And I wanted to do things for you, to make you happy. Except I lost sight of the fact that your happiness can’t be bought. You deserve better than that.”
My heart is filling with happiness with every word he says.
“And I realized that I wasn’t admitting my feelings, nor was I letting you in. Not properly. I was too scared.” Alex shakes his head, and tugs on his hair ruefully. “I finally understand why. Something my mum told me yesterday about my dad. I don’t think I realized that I was scared of being like him, cold and cruel. Instead, I just shut myself off from relationships. If I never let myself get close, I would never let myself be hurt. But I hurt you.”
“Oh Alex. You big, dumb, sexy Brit.” Impulsively I stand up and turn, then sit down again on his lap, straddling his legs. His arms instantly wrap around me, and I pull him in so that we’re hugging, tangled up in each other tightly. With my face tucked into his neck, breathing in the masculine scent that is Alex, I start to giggle.
“Why are you laughing?” He pulls back slightly and looks at me quizzically.
“Because I flew to England to apologize to you. That’s the most insane thing I’ve ever done.”
His hands come up to frame my face, and he tugs me closer so that our foreheads touch.
