Page 43 of Bad Decisions

He steps back to let me pass. “I wasn’t expecting visitors, but I’ve got beer in the fridge. Do you want one?”

“Yes, please.” The apartment is a typical short-term rental, with basic furnishings in neutral tones and cream walls.

The pop of a bottle cap being twisted has me turning toward the small kitchen area. Will steps away from the stone counter and shuffles toward me, using chairs to aid his progress. “You should be using your crutch.”

He stops at the back of the sofa and taps the metal stick propped against it, as if to prove he has been.

“I didn’t know physiotherapists did home visits. Or is there another reason you’re here?”

“Will!” His name comes out as a plea.

He’s not going to make this easy for me, and I probably deserve the chilly attitude.

“Take a seat. That’s assuming that you came here to talk.” One brow rises in question.

“Thank you,” I mumble before sitting down, my butt on the edge of the sofa and knees squeezed together.

He hands me a beer before using one crutch to hop his way to the single chair opposite. The physical distance he’s choosing to keep between us is an indication of how he sees us now. Will has retreated to his one-man island, and I hate it. I want the man from this afternoon back, but my gut is telling me I’m going to have to build some bridges to get him back.

But where to start?

“Tonight’s date was arranged before you turned up at the clinic.” I can’t believe that it was only a week ago. “And I only kept it so I could tell him in person that I wouldn’t be seeing him again.”

His intense expression doesn’t waver, other than a slight narrowing around his eyes. While I’m certain worry is carving deep crevices into my forehead.

I should leave. This was a huge mistake.

“I didn’t expect to find you at my door,” he says, breaking the silence this time. “I thought I was going to spend the night alone, drinking beer and feeling sorry for myself because the most amazing woman I know had slipped through my fingers, again.”

My eyes pop wide, and my two-handed grip on the beer bottle tightens to hide the trembling of my hands. “Really, amazing? She sounds like a fool to me. Why on earth would she not want to be with you?”

“That’s a good question.” A sexy smirk pulls at one corner of his mouth. “But I know the answer too. It’s because I let her down. I made her a promise that we wouldn’t end, and then I broke it.”

“Why did you break it?” My voice is barely a whisper.

His deep-blue gaze captures mine, and I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. “A combination of really bad decisions, but mostly because I thought it would be the right thing to do.” He leans forward, resting one arm on his good leg. “Jewel, you were so sad when I met you after losing your father, and I was glad I could help you through that time. But when I left, it felt like it hadn’t been real. Just a moment in time that was nothing like our actual lives. The new job was a lot too, and when I found myself … stuck in a difficult situation, I was convinced you’d be better off without me.”

My eyes grow misty. “I’m not.” I blink to clear them. “And that’s why I’m here tonight. I want to try again too. I’d rather be with you however much we can be than never see you again.”

With his gaze focused on me, nerves swirl in my belly. I give him a small smile before continuing, because I need to get this all out. “When you said you wanted to be with me, I panicked. I was worried about being hurt again, which is why I asked for time.”

Using his arms, he pushes himself up to standing, then does a one-foot pivot before falling onto the sofa beside me. My junior gymnastics coach would have been pleased with that move, though he needs to work on sticking the landing. His body is sprawled at an odd angle over two cushions.

“Are you okay?” I croak, trying to hold back my laughter.

“That move kind of ruined the moment, but I’m fine.” He props himself up straighter against the backrest before taking my hand in his. It’s this skin-on-skin contact I’ve missed as electricity zaps between us, sending heat coursing through my veins.

“Jewel, like I said this afternoon, I want to be with you. My feelings haven’t changed. And I’m sure I can work something out with my business partners so I can be based here in Brooklyn instead of DC.”

His thigh brushes against mine, and my core clenches like it’s muscle memory in the sexiest possible way. I link my fingers through his, binding our hands tighter together. “I know you love your job. You were trained to protect, and from what I’ve seen, you’re good at it.” I glance at his thigh and smile. “Too good at protecting others sometimes.”

He chuckles. “I still managed to knock the guy out even after being stabbed.”

“What I’m saying is I don’t want to stop you from doing any of that. But if there’s any chance that we can both have it all, then I’m all in.”

A grin instantly transforms his whole face. “We can. At least for the next few months, I won’t be going anywhere. I’m off physical duties. My physiotherapist insists.”

My laughter rings out around the room. “Not all physical duties,” I tease, turning my upper body sideways and placing my hands on his shoulders. I want to slide right onto his lap, but with his injury, there’s no way that’s possible.