Page 137 of Open To Negotiation

“This seems like you making decisions for me again.” I raised an eyebrow at him, but he stayed relaxed like he knew this was a negotiation he could win.

“You’re right, I can return the dog and we can discuss this together when you’re ready.” He took a step toward me but I turned my body to shield the dog from him. His face broke out into a soft smile. “Baby, I’m going to need you to pass the puppy back to Ash.”

“I don’t want to.” I kissed the little guy on the head.

“Please.” He took another step toward me. “He’s just going to put him in the yard.” I hesitated for a few seconds before I passed the puppy back to Asher. He nodded at me, and then he and everyone else left the room, closing the patio door behind them.

“You better not take that dog away from me, Theodore Knight.” I poked him in the chest, but he grabbed my finger before I could pull away.

“I’m sorry, Quinn, for handling things the way I did.” I looked up to meet his eyes, they were shining with intensity as he linked our hands. “I saw something that threatened you and I couldn’t think straight. All I knew was that I had to find a way to stop your father’s shit from hitting you and while I did that, I needed my father to think I was doing what he wanted.”

“You hurt me, Theo.”

He nodded solemnly. “I know I did. It wasn’t just my father’s threats, I also got in my head when I decided I needed to walk away. I started thinking that maybe it was for the best, because I was scared.”

“You were scared of me?” I asked, frowning.

“No, I was scared of how much I loved you. About what it would feel like if I lost you, how much that would destroy me. The accident reminded me how fragile life is. I thought if I cut it off now it would hurt less than something happening to you in the future. I almost didn’t survive losing my mum, I couldn’t bear the thought of losing a love like yours that tragically. It was some dumb idea of self-preservation that I came up with when my feelings got too much.”

I softened at his words but kept close watch of his face. “And now you’re not scared?”

He shook his head slowly. “No. I still am, but now I know it doesn’t matter because I’ve realized my love for you is bigger than my fear. I was miserable without you, it doesn’t matter if I get another month, or year, or decade. Any amount of time with you is better than being without you for even a second more.”

I closed my eyes for a moment as his words settled over me. My heart was racing, a fluttering in my stomach. He was saying the words, but I also felt his love through his actions that Noah highlighted for me.

In how he always watched me to make sure I was comfortable, how he always wanted to be touching me, how he took care of me without a thought for what he needed.

“I still have some questions. I need it all out in the open so if I decide to let it go I can do that without any doubt that you’re hiding something.”

Hope sparked in his eyes at my words and his hand tightened slightly in mine. “I’m an open book. Ask me anything.”

“Why did your father even want you to break up with me?”

I watched as he shrugged. “Not sure. He didn’t like that I’d become more successful than him. My business is solid, he couldn’t touch it. But he was always trying to prove something. Always trying to force me into a competition I didn’t know about. I’m sure he also hated that I was happy, that I found love. He may have been married but he didn’t love his wife, he always seemed to search for something better. He wanted me to suffer and the only way he thought he could do that was through you.”

“Well, at least we can commiserate over the fact that both our fathers were terrible.” He didn’t laugh at my joke, instead just nodded.

“I’m sorry, Love.” He tucked another piece of hair behind my ear.

“You’ve said that already, a number of times,” I whispered.

“I know. But I’ve been miserable without you, truly. Please tell me we can work this out. That you’ll forgive me, come home and never leave. I don’t know if you caught it before, but I want you to move in here.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little fast?” It didn’t feel that way to me, but I was an over-thinker by nature, my brain was two steps ahead wondering what other people would think.

“It’s not for me, for us. But if you would feel better, I could stay in one of the guest rooms,” he said with a cringe. He didn’t like the idea of being apart, but I appreciated that he was willing to do that for me.

“Well…” I made it seem like I had to think about it but there was no choice for me. Theo was it. And as I stood there, staring into the intense blue-grey eyes of the man I loved, I decided I didn’t care, people could think what they wanted. “I don’t know about that… I kind of miss sleeping in your arms.” His whole body tensed as he moved his hands around my waist.

“I need to hear the words, Quinn.”

I reached up and cupped his cheek with my hand. “I love you and I forgive you, Theo. And yes, I will move in here with you and our puppy.”

“Thank fuck.” The words were barely out of his mouth before his lips were slamming on mine.

Something settled in my chest as we kissed. After weeks of missing him, his kiss felt like coming home.

He put his hands on my ass and lifted me, my legs wrapping around his waist. He was carrying me to his room quickly.