Jade stared at him, her own fury evaporating as swiftly as it had risen.
‘And I realised you did fight. Just by telling me how you felt about...’ He trailed off, his expression softening. ‘That was you fighting. Speaking up? That’s big for anyone, and huge for you. But I said nothing. I’m sorry, Jade. I was so stunned—not just by what you said, but by you. And I was so scared I couldn’t think. Even when, yes, I knew the answer already. It terrified me.’
Her chest tightened under strain, as if her ribs were shrinking or her heart were getting bigger.
‘Do you know, it’s so damn hard to get anywhere near you? You say I’m isolated—some people might think this is a prison.’
‘It’s my home,’ she said, fierce pride enveloping her. ‘It’s not a prison to me.’
‘No.’ He nodded. ‘I watched you today, and this is where you belong. You shine everywhere, Jade. But most of all, here.’ He stepped closer. ‘And it’s why you left me, isn’t it? Because you thought there was no way this could work out.’
Her poor heart broke all over again. Because that was true.
‘But you can’t give something like that only to then take it away again.’ He actually waggled his finger at her.
‘I wanted to leave it with you. I wanted you to treasure it.’
‘So you didn’t mean it?’
She drew breath to stave off the sharp stab of pain. He took advantage of the second to step closer still, only he was smiling.
‘Do you think you could give me a second chance, Jade?’
Of course. Always.
But her only response was to tremble.
‘The problem is,’ he explained quietly, ‘that memory isn’t enough for me. I want more. I want to wake up with you every morning and to go to bed with you every night. I want to have as many moments of as many days together as we can. I don’t want us to be apart, Jade. You know why.’ He finally reached her, finally put his hands on her waist, grounding her here in reality to hear him. ‘Because I love you.’
All she could do was blink, trying to clear the blurring tears so she could see properly...because she was trying to believe?
His lips twisted. ‘It’s hard to trust, isn’t it?’ He lifted his hand to touch her hair. ‘Hard to believe that someone might accept you, want you, love you...just for you, just as you are. That even if you have nothing, were no one, even if you didn’t do the things expected of you...that you would still be loved. I didn’t just find it hard to believe that someone could feel that for me, it was impossible. That’s my problem. Believing. Trusting. Even though it’s the thing I want more than anything else in the world, from the person I want more in the world. I’m sorry I let you go. I’m sorry I let you down. I’m sorry you ran so quickly before I could think. But I’ve done nothing except think since. And do you know what I’ve realised?’
Impossibly overwhelmed, she shook her head.
‘Wanting love. Wanting fun, friendship, laughter and, of course, fantastic sex...all those things shouldn’t be out of the ordinary for anyone. It shouldn’t just be a “treat day” thing. And we shouldn’t have to feel excessively grateful for getting something we all should have. We all deserve.’ His hands tightened on her waist—energy passing through his skin to her. ‘It’s too close to feeling guilty, Jade. As if we don’t deserve it in some way. As if we should feel grateful for crumbs... I want the whole damn cake. Why shouldn’t any of us get a cake? Jade, you should have a cake. So should I.’ He lifted one hand and cupped her face with his big strong palm. ‘I love you. Every beautiful thing about you. What do you say, sweetheart?’ He brushed away her tear with his thumb. ‘Say something. Anything.’
‘I love you too.’
His smile was slow and still nervous and so heartfelt. ‘I was really hoping you’d say that.’
The skim of his lips over hers was like a gossamer graze. The gentlest gift—not tentative, but as if he too were still slightly wary of believing this was real. Like a swimmer dipping only a toe in the water rather than diving straight in, in case the depth was deceptive. She kissed him back as softly—it was so rare, this connection. And then the emotion overwhelmed her so much she shuddered—she’d missed him so much. And then his arms were tight and his mouth hungry and the kiss was everything—all the passion absolving all the absence and her heart soared.
He released her suddenly, breathless and hoarse. ‘I have something for you.’
Her heart thundered as he put his hand in his pocket. His smile curved as he pulled his fist out. She knew he held something small and suddenly everything was moving too quickly.
‘Alvaro—’
He flipped his hand and unfurled his fingers so she could see what sat in his palm. A metal ring, yes. But it was a key ring. A single house key was attached, together with a silver charm of a little lighthouse. She instantly understood that it was a key to his cottage. He wanted to share his sanctuary with her.
‘You can go there any time,’ he muttered, still breathless. ‘I’ll always meet you. I’ll always share everything I have with you.’
Her heart melted but at the same time an agony of uncertainty slammed into her. How was this going to work? ‘I want this. I want you. But...’
‘You’re worried about protocol? Because I’m not a prince?’
‘You’re a prince to me,’ she said sadly. ‘But you don’t understand what this world is like.’
‘That’s true.’ He laughed as he looked around the stuffily ornate room. ‘But I’ll learn.’
‘You need time.’ She felt terrified. What if he hated it? What if—
‘I don’t need time, sweetheart, but I understand that you do.’ He cupped her face again. ‘We’ll take it slow.’
How could there possibly be slow? Once people—the world—found out she was in a relationship, the pressures that would come on them would be immense.
‘You live on the other side of the Atlantic,’ she fretted. ‘You run a massive company that’s been your life... I can’t ask you to give that all up.’
‘Do I have to give it up?’ Smiling gently, he slowly shook his head.
‘The politics and business...’ she muttered. ‘It gets complicated.’
That soft amusement in his eyes deepened. ‘Do you know what I do, Jade?’
‘Buy companies. Develop them.’
‘Actually, mostly I just problem-solve. I like complicated. I like challenge. And you problem-solve too. You’re good at it.’