Page 18 of The Sweetest Mistake

Holding her hands, he looked down at her and whispered, “I missed you.”

Stay strong, Julia. Stay strong.

“I should have told you about the baby before I left for Denver. I regret that now.”

She remained silent.

“I’ve been on my own for so long that I’m not used to sharing things. Hell, I was never that good at it, to be honest. But I’d like to be better—for you.”

She’d been staring straight ahead at his chest, and now she glanced up at him to see the sincerity in his expression. But words and actions were two different things, and she questioned his ability to change.

“This whole thing knocked me on my ass, and I didn’t want to take you down with me. You shouldn’t have to deal with any of this, Julia. You deserve better.”

That tripped the switch, and she couldn’t stay silent any longer. Jerking her hands out of his grip, she shoved against his chest, but it was like trying to move a mountain. He didn’t budge, but he looked at her with surprise.

“You don’t get to tell me what I should or shouldn’t have to deal with, Connor. That’s up to me. I’m not some fragile flower that needs to be handled with care. I’m stronger than that, and if you’d have opened up to me and let me in, you would have realized that.”

“You’re right.”

“And furthermore… Wait…did you just say I’m right?”

Laughing, he said, “You’re right, and I was wrong, and I’ll keep on saying it until you believe me.”

Narrowing her eyes at him, she said, “This doesn’t make everything better, you know.”

“I know,” he said.

“And we still have a lot of talking to do.”

“I know that too.”

“And you should also know that I’m not happy about Cam being back in your life.”

“I’d never expect you to be,” he said, reaching out to finger a lock of her hair.

I love it when he does that. “And from here on out, I want to be in the loop.”

“Got it,” he said, moving his other hand up to cradle her cheek.

Damn. Now I’m doomed. “I don’t want you keeping things from me, even things that you think might upset me.”

“Noted,” he said, rubbing his thumb over her trembling bottom lip.

She shuddered from the touch, her limbs loosening, her brain going numb.

“And?” he said, eyebrows raised.

“And what?”

Eyes sparkling with amusement, he said, “I was just expecting another and.”

But she was done ranting. Standing this close, breathing his scent, having his hands on her—he had the same effect he always did.

“And…if we have sex right now, that doesn’t mean you’re completely forgiven.”

He smiled then, slid his arms around her waist, and pulled her close so their hips were touching. “We don’t have to do this,” he said, giving her the option to change her mind.

Rubbing against his erection, she replied, “You’re wrong about that too.”