I parked outside her building and trotted up the steps to her front door. I rolled my shoulders. “Here goes everything, Foster.” I knocked on the door.
It took several minutes, but the door opened and my heart stalled in my chest. But it wasn’t an anxiety episode. It was love. It was poleaxed by her beautiful face, even as her eyes narrowed into sharp slits as she looked at me.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” It hadn’t been what I wanted to lead with, but in that moment, I couldn’t hold in what my heart was feeling.
Her eyes went soft for a moment, and then, as if she didn’t want to make it easy for me, she glared again. “You’re back?”
I nodded. “I’m back. For you.”
Her breath hitched, and I gave myself points that I was reaching some romantic part of her even if she didn’t want me to.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
She opened the door. “I don’t have anything to offer you. I’ve been eating at my dad’s, so I have no food.”
“I don’t need anything,” I said as I entered. I stopped and turned to her. “Well, that’s not true. I need one thing. You.”
“Have you been reading a romance or something?” She pursed her lips and gave me a look like she wasn’t buying what I was saying. But her eyes told me I was making headway.
“I’m not trying to give you lines, Mia.” I wanted to hold her so badly, I had to shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her. “First, let me start with I’m sorry for leaving and not returning your call. I was a mess … and I just needed … out.” God, I hoped she understood.
“I understand that part. What I don’t get is why you wouldn’t contact me.”
If this thing between us was going to work, I had to be honest. “At first, I was running. Running from a town that wanted my head, but also from the torment of wanting … needing a woman I couldn’t have.”
“You quit. You could have had me then.”
“I didn’t say I was thinking straight. I was overwhelmed. Pissed that you were hurt and afraid I might hurt someone in retaliation. I nearly kicked Eli’s ass. I blamed him for what happened to you.”
Her eyes widened. “You did?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
She shook her head. “He just said you were leaving.”
I looked down. “I didn’t know what else to do. But I did like you said … well, to be honest, my mother made me go to a therapist, and a few things became clear.”
“Like Ms. Mason’s grandson?”
I nodded. “Yes, but that’s not all.” I stepped near her. I didn’t touch her, but I needed to feel the heat of her. Inhale her scent.
“What else?” Her eyes flared with awareness at my approach. She didn’t back away, but neither did she give me a sign that she was going to let me in.
“I knew I loved you already, but while I was gone, I realized that I didn’t want to live without you.”
She swallowed.
“Mia,” I said, resisting touching her. “I’m an unemployed doctor with enough student debt to choke a horse. I’ve got PTSD and I’m pretty sure this town will never see me the same again. I’m not a good bet when it comes to relationships, and yet I know, without a doubt, that no one could love you like I do. Or wants to dedicate their life to making you happy. And since I don’t work at the hospital now, our being together wouldn’t be a problem. Unless you see some other issues that I haven’t considered.” Fuck, I was rambling. “What I want is you, baby. Please tell me I have a chance. Please tell me you’ll give us a chance.”
Her eyes filled with tears, which in turn filled me with dread. She didn’t feel the same. But then she threw herself in my arms.
“Nick.” She held me tight, and it took a moment for me to get my hands out of my pockets and around her.
“Tell me this is a good thing,” I whispered as I ran my cheek along hers.
She leaned back. “I love you. I have for so long.”
“Oh, thank fuck.” I yanked her against me and seared my lips to hers. It had only been a week since I’d last kissed her, but this felt like I was drinking in her sweetness after an eternity. It was better than before because now I knew she was mine.
“Just one thing I should probably let you know; in case it changes things for you,” she murmured against my lips.
“Nothing will change how I feel. You left me four years ago and that didn’t change how I felt.”
She pressed her hand to my cheek. “I’m unemployed with no job prospects, except maybe Eli.”
“Those fuckers fired you?”
“I quit. Dick was being a jerk so I quit.”
I grinned. “Perfect.”
“Perfect. You sound like we can live on love.”
“We can, baby.” I lifted her up and twirled us around. “I feel like anything is possible.” I put her down and held her face in my hands. “Do you feel it? The power of us.”
She nodded, her smile so lovely it made my heart sing.
“We’ll figure it out. As long as we’re together, we’ll figure it out.” I was so sure of it. In fact, I’d never been so sure about anything before in my life.
“Yes.” She lifted on her toes and kissed me. “We should honor this moment.”
“Oh? How do we do that?”
She cupped my dick over my jeans. “Get naked, Foster.”
My cock grew so hard, it was a wonder it wasn’t peeking out of the waistband of my jeans. “Whatever my gorgeous woman wants.”
She took my hand and yanked me toward her bedroom. I’d never been to her place before, but I figured I could have the tour the later. Right now, it was time to show her how much I loved her.
When we got to her room, her hands were all over
