Page 146 of Right Man, Right Time
“Ollie.” He sounds breathless. “What are you doing here?”
“Uh, well, you said you needed to talk, so here I am.”
“I wanted to talk last night,” he says.
“I know, but I was, uh, just not up to it.”
He glances over his shoulder. “Yeah, well, I’m not going to have this conversation here.”
Oh God! Hedidwant to break up with me. And here I am, like a freaking fool, thinking that it’s something else. Of course he doesn’t want to break up with me in the middle of the airport reception area. No one wants a crying person in public.
“Right.” I try to smile, but my lips tremble, deceiving me. “I get it.” My eyes water. Dammit, Ollie, hold it together. “We can just, uh . . .” A tear floats down my cheek, and I quickly swipe it away. “We can talk when you get back.”
I turn to walk away, but he steps in front of me, his hand on my stomach. “Ollie, wait.” He lifts my chin. “Why are you crying?”
I will my tears to stop as I hold back my emotions, my throat feeling so thick with emotion that it makes it hard to speak. So softly, I say, “I know . . .” I clear my throat. “I know you want to end our agreement, okay? I’m just . . . I’m not handling it well.”
I swipe at my eyes again.
“What makes you think that?” he asks.
I look around and notice no one is near us, so I say, “I saw it in your eyes the other day, Silas. You don’t want this, and that’s okay. I get it. Does it hurt because I really like you? Yes, but it’s something I can get over.” I try to walk away again, but he stops me.
“I don’t want you to get over it,” he says softly. “I don’t want you to get over me.”
“What?” I ask, surprised.
“Ollie.” He cups my face and runs his thumb over my tear-soaked cheeks. “I wanted to talk because . . . because I don’t want this to be an agreement anymore. I want us to be real.”
Hope springs in my chest as more tears fill my eyes. This time, they’re tears of joy. “Really?”
“Yes, but I need to work through some things.” He wipes away another tear. “Did you think this whole time I was going to call things off?”
I nod, feeling foolish.
“Ollie, come here.” He pulls me into his strong chest and wraps his arms around me. He lowers his head and speaks closely to my ear. “I’m losing my mind over you. There’s no way I could just end it.”
I cry into his chest as he holds me.
“I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here,” he whispers again. “But I don’t see a situation where I don’t try to make this work for us. I just . . . I just need to talk to you.”
I glance up at him and run my finger over the scruff on his jaw. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your texts. I was so sick to my stomach.”
“I’m not going anywhere, baby. Okay?”
I nod and then lift on my toes, pressing a kiss to the bottom of his mouth. He cups the back of my head and angles my jaw for better access to my mouth. Before I know what’s going on, his lips are on mine, and his tongue swipes against mine. I grip his suit coat as I let him take me for a ride, his mouth doing all the work.
It’s delicious.
It’s meaningful.
Nothing about this kiss is dead.
It’s full of passion and everything I’d ever want when it comes to this man.
When he slowly pulls away, he cups my head and hugs me one more time. “Fuck, I wish I didn’t have to leave.”
“Me too.” I smooth my hands over his chest. “Will you call me when you land?”
