It had been her decision to meet up with Alex. She couldn’t let Jake think he had a hand in her decisions. All he did was love her, and she was a fool for not seeing it. It pained her that her self-doubt hurt Jake.
“None of this is your fault.” Her voice cut Jake off as he was recounting what he’d told the sheriff a moment ago.
His chest expanded as he took a deep breath, like he was waiting for her to pop his bubble.
“Jake.” She gripped his face in both of her hands, staring into the ice-blue eyes she loved so much. “This was not your fault.” She watched with horror as tears welled in his eyes, slipping down the corners.
Stirred into action, she wrestled with the blankets until she was free, climbing onto his lap to straddle him. Resting her forehead on his, she said it more firmly. “None of this was your fault. Do you hear me?”
He sniffed, nodding his head before squeezing her to his chest and burying his nose in the crook of her neck. She held him as his body shook. Her heart broke, their tears mingling as she whispered reassurances into his hair. The scent of his cologne filled her senses while her hands moved in circles down his back.
They fell asleep clinging to each other.
The next time she woke up, she no longer felt like death. Even more, she was cozy and held securely against the warm body behind her.
Jake.
She wiggled nearer, trying to get as close as humanly possible.
Jake’s arms tightened around her, warning her that her movements had woken him. “Mmm, that’s one way to wake up.” The deep tenor of his voice sent shivers down her spine.
A smile spread across her face as something hard pressed between her cheeks. Her core clenched with need, heat pooling low. She ignored it and turned around until she lay face-to-face with Jake.
Though his eyes were closed, his furrowed brows revealed he knew she was studying him.
With one hand under her cheek, she traced the curves of his face, smiling when he turned his cheek to nuzzle her palm. His beard, which was longer than usual, scraped against her palm. His eyes popped open. In the early light, they looked more like the deep navy blue of the ocean.
“Your house.” She watched as Jake’s forehead creased, his dark brows coming together, forming a V. She knew the answer but wanted to hear him say the words, needed him to make her feel like she wasn’t going crazy reading between the lines. “Who did you build your house for?”
Jake’s face relaxed, the lines fading as if they’d never been there, but in his eyes she saw understanding. Still, he didn’t say a word, waiting for her to voice her thoughts. He had always been waiting for her, hadn’t he?
Her mouth felt dry. She tried to swallow, but the knot of emotion in her throat made it hard. Licking her dry lips, she finally said, “Was it for me? It’s everything I told you that night…” She paused, taking in a stuttering breath. “It’s exactly like the house I described the night before Thao died.”
His eyes held so much emotion as they scanned her face, trying to gauge her reaction. A muscle in his jaw bounced. She wished he’d answer her already.
Finally, after what felt like hours, he simply dipped his chin. Gia let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. The tension melted away as the truth sat between them.
All those years apart, and he had never forgotten her. Not once. He had been holding a place for her in his heart and in his life, even when she’d abandoned him to chase after a dream that ended up burning her, leaving her an empty shell, barely able to keep her nose above water.
She could finally see why it had been so easy for her to leave. She was running away from what it meant to be with Jake. To belovedby Jake. Until now, she’d never felt worthy of his attention.She knew he was all in. He loved with his entire being, and until she learned to love herself, she hadn’t wanted him to bestuckwith her, either.
Through self-preservation and fear, she’d let go of the one good thing she had in her life.
And now she was staring at the man who built her dream house with her in mind, never knowing if she would live in it with him, or even see it. He did it because he had unfailing faith in her. She still didn’t think she deserved such devotion, butgoddammit, she didn’t even care anymore.
Tears welled in her eyes. Her heart felt like it was mending itself together.
“Jake.” She didn’t know what else she could say. How did she tell the man she’d hurt over and over again that she finally understood what he had been trying to tell her?
No, nottellher.
Showher.
Words hadn’t been enough.
“Kiss me,” she gasped desperately.
His eyes bounced between hers, seeing the determined glint in her eyes. “I thought you’d never ask.”
