Page 83 of One Wild Wish

“This isn’t war, Sunshine. It’s many things, but it isn’t war.”

Except he’d laid siege to my heart, the delicate tissue surrounded and blockaded, nothing moving in or out but memories of us. Some days it was hard to function.

Instead of stepping beside me, he pressed closer to my back and laid his large hands on my hips. “You really do look stunning.” His breath grazed my ear again, and I nearly melted.

“So do you,” I replied, and, God, I wanted to touch him. I couldn’t take not facing him.

Belly aflutter, I went to swivel, but he held me firm. I’d been frozen since our fight, unable to make a move, but now I knew what I wanted. Namely, him. My arms around his waist, my head against his chest, his heartbeat pounding in my ears. He was having none of it.

He pulled me tighter to him. “How about a wager?”

“I could be tempted.” As long as the bet revolved around which of us got naked first.

“I’m sure you could, and I’ll even let you set the stakes.”

“Without knowing the game?”

He pressed his lips to my temple. “I won’t lead you astray, Ray. I love you.”

A shiver ran down my spine, his beseeching voice guiding the sensation. “You love me?”

“For so long. I should have said it sooner, but I fucking love you. So much it hurts. You own my heart.”

Aside from his ten thousand texts, we hadn’t talked through our problems, but his confession had my limbs tingling, heat radiating through my body. My life had turned around in the past months. I had a future filled with wine and learning, and I couldn’t wait to be an aunt. My mother was still overbearing and difficult, but she supported my choice of career and men.

It was time to keep moving forward and give Jimmy a second chance. “I love you,” I whispered. “So much it hurts.”

He spun me, so quickly I gripped his shoulders to keep from toppling. Tenderness softened the steel in his blue-gray eyes. “I’m sorry. The things I said to you were horrible. I’d take them back if I could. I know you, Ray. I know you’d never use me or side against me. Even thinking how I lit into you makes me sick. I’m not sure I deserve your forgiveness, but I’m done burying my past. It’s part of me. The good and the bad. I want nothing more than for you to be my future.”

God, his sincerity. It coated every word and soothed my bruised heart. A balm I was ready to accept. “It’s okay. I understand. But you ever accuse me of stuff like that again, assume the worst without a discussion, and an apology won’t cut it. This is a one-time deal.”

He straightened, fierceness in the sharp lines of his face. “As it should be.”

We stood like that a moment, and I could sense his need, both of us fighting the pull to grab each other and kiss until we’d erased our pain. My gaze fell to his tie, the silky fabric, wondering how it would feel around my wrists. Maybe a little pain wouldn’t be so bad.

He dug his thumbs into my hipbones, possessive and hot as hell. “Don’t worry, I’ll string your arms up with it later.”

“Presumptuous much?” But the man could read me. And sweet Jesus, the visual. My skin nearly lit on fire.

“Just calling it like I see it. And you, Sunshine, have it bad for me.”

Suddenly parched, I scanned the area for a glass of water. A sprinkler to run through? Then I was picturing a dripping wet Jimmy, and I could barely swallow. “Let’s get back to this contest of yours.”

People milled around, curious glances coasting over us. Jimmy and his ink garnered much interest, as did my revealing skirt and halter top. They could look all they wanted.

He winked. “A blind tasting, of course.”

“Back to where we started?” Our second chance. He nodded, but staying among these people when he could be apologizing in private lacked appeal. “Can this game wait until later? I believe your tongue has more atoning to do. Certain places on my body haven’t decided if you’re forgiven. It could take weeks.”

He chuckled and nestled his hand into the small of my back. “I’ve missed you like crazy, and not kissing you right now, everywhere, is killing me, but I want to do this right. It won’t take long.”

Grudgingly, I yielded. He led me to one of the stations, where I promptly downed a glass of water. That’s when I recognized April in her black slacks and top, pouring wines.

“You won!” My shout had glances flying my way, but I hadn’t seen her since I’d been booted from the contest. We weren’t exactly close, but she’d always been nice, and beating the Schnozinator was no easy feat.

She beamed. “I did. Thanks to Jimmy. If he hadn’t stepped down, I wouldn’t have had the chance.”

“Well, it’s nice of you to help today.”