Page 11 of Let Me Love You

He moves toward the swing and stands beside it. His gaze burns into the side of my head as I stride past him, and I’m concentrating on him so much, I trip over my feet. I scream as my legs fly out from under me, but his strong arms immediately envelop me, and he pulls me flush against him.

Our chests heave against each other. Images of us somewhere, sweaty and naked, flash through my mind. His lips on my neck, nibbling down until … Victor’s eyes pierce straight into me as if he can see into my mind. Where did those thoughts suddenly come from?

No one can ever know—especially not him.

The front door opens, and Sully pokes his head out. His eyebrows raise a fraction before ducking back inside.

Sighing, I shove Victor away and stumble back a step until we have much needed space between us. “If you came to get handsy, you can get in your car and go back to New York.”

A beat passes. And another. Then he finally says, “No, I came here to ask if you’d marry me.”

Chapter 5

Victor

As her eyes widen, memories of the first time I came to Granite Falls fill my brain. I was searching for Harmony to make sure she was okay but found Serenity instead.

Three Months Ago

I stand on Harmony’s sister’s small front porch, waiting for her to let me inside. Harmony has to be here. Where else would she go?

I accept the fact she doesn’t want to marry me. All I want is to make sure she’s okay. After the altercation with Anita and her cameramen, the light that usually lit up her eyes was dimmed. And my mother had a hand in that.

As I raise my hand to knock again, the front door creaks open revealing red, curly hair, a splash of freckles across her nose, and legs that go on for miles. I groan inwardly. Of course, Serenity would open the door to her home, but I was hoping to bypass her altogether. There’s no need for me to get pulled in by her siren song when she would like nothing more than for me to drown.

“What are you doing here?” Serenity pushes the door all the way open before planting her hands on her curvy hips.

A spark ignites inside my chest, but I quench it.

“Is Harmony here?”

She shakes her head. “She doesn’t want you anywhere near her.”

I flash her my charming smile, but her frown doesn’t budge. “I’m sure she didn’t quite say that. She’s my friend.”

A small figure standing behind Serenity snags my attention. Red ringlets cover her face. Summer, yes. I met her on the day of the wedding. But she hides behind her mother without a word.

Serenity quirks a brow and laughs in the most condescending way. “I thought you had enough rich friends. You don’t need to come sniffing around my sister. In case you couldn’t figure it out by yourself, when someone leaves you at the altar, it means they don’t want you.”

In my world, it’s always, “yes, sir,” and flowery compliments. Her words are biting, but she’s more honest with me than anyone else I’ve ever met. And I crave more.

The scent of rain enters my nose a moment before the first drop lands on my shoulder. Before I can ask to come inside, the sky opens up, and a downpour soaks through my clothes. The early spring coolness combined with my wet clothing shoots a chill down my spine.

Serenity sighs before moving to the side. “Come in before you get sick.”

My teeth chatter as I enter her condo. Even though it won’t do much, I take off my shoes and leave them by the door. Water drips off me, creating a pool around my feet, and my socks are instantly drenched.

“Stay right there,” Serenity says before picking up her daughter and turning on her heel to hurry up the stairs.

They disappear out of sight, and something inside me deflates. It’s as if all the sunshine on this cloudy day was sapped away. What’s wrong with me? No woman has ever affected me this way. Even when I found out Rose, my ex-girlfriend, cheated on me, I moved on. It stung and hurt my pride, yes, but I was happy she showed her true colors before I asked her to marry me due to my grandfather’s ridiculous clause about getting married in order to stay CEO.

The stairs creak, and I look up. Serenity has a towel and clothes bundled in her arms, but her daughter is nowhere in sight. Maybe she told her to stay upstairs while she deals with me.

Protective of her daughter … That does something to my insides when I rarely ever saw my own mother until I was an adult.

She hands me the clothes, and our hands brush. Her widened eyes meet mine for a split second before she looks away. “I’m not sure if it will fit you since my husband was about four inches shorter than you and a little rounder, but it’s something while I dry your clothes.”

I shake off the heat flowing through my body by the brief skin contact. Did Serenity compliment me without realizing it? No, I’m probably overthinking it.