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13
The doorbell rang.
His housekeeper had gone grocery shopping, and the kids were in school. Ethan smoothed his hand over his suit. He’d still work at Kyle Entertainment for another couple of weeks, like he’d promised.
Kyle had shown consistent interest in being his client, still eager about how well he’d done with the opening. He’d called a couple of other contacts from the party, and to his surprise, they seemed interested as well.
Roy had been fired, and now had to face a lawsuit by a former employee who accused him of harassment.
The doorbell rang again, and he strode to the door. Who could it be? He’d taken the kids himself to school. Thankfully, no more nannies would be needed. He’d work out a way to do most of his work while they were at school, and aside from the occasional sitter, he doubted he’d need a full-time nanny like before.
Not that he didn’t need Poppy, of course. But she’d been adamant about not wanting to be in his life. She didn’t love him—or he should say, she wasn’t ready to love him. He’d felt her love, many times, but he couldn’t convince her to live it with him.
He’d slept very little, missing her, missing their late night escapades.
Maybe he’d come on too strong.
He shouldn’t have said he loved her. That scared her away. Just because he was ready, didn’t mean she was.
He opened the door, to find a box on his doorstep.
He bent to grab the colorful cardboard, and opened it. It was a box filled with colorful, assorted donuts, and letters on top of them. His heart raced as he read the sentence they formed. I love you, too.
He looked around, and saw her coming from behind a column in the foyer, a nervous smile on her lips. “Poppy,” he said, needing to call her out loud to make sure that was really happening.
The air was sucked from his lungs, and he did a double take.
She wore a pair of jeans and a green blouse that brought out her beautiful eyes—that looked at him with a mix of apprehension and excitement. She fidgeted with her hands, her fingers threading on one another as she walked up to him. “Ethan, I’m so sorry. You were right. I wasn’t ready when you told me how you felt.”
He swallowed. Did this mean she was ready now? She wrote it in donuts, but would she really be willing to commit to him? Hope brewed in his heart, and he had to touch it, to make sure its beating wouldn’t land him on a gurney. He should ask her to come in, but breathing became difficult, how could he move? The tension had him rooted on the spot.
She switched her weight from foot to foot, fidgeting with her fingers again. “A part of me wanted freedom when I moved here, because I felt like I always had to take care of my brothers at home. Growing up. And in a way, take care of my mom too.”
“I know,” he said.
“But what it took me a while to understand was… my mom imposed I take care of them. You aren’t. I want to give it all to you and your kids. I just don’t know if I’ll be good at it.”
Good at it? She’d changed their lives. She’d helped him improve his relationship with his daughter, showed more compassion and patience to Archie than he would have dreamed of. “You have been phenomenal at it. What would change?”
“You punched someone for me. How can I ever top that?” she said. “Besides, I also didn’t want to be responsible for you losing your bonus or damaging your reputation. I guess I already was—and cowered. I should have been there for you,” she said, emotion lacing her voice. Tears brimmed her eyelids, a couple of them straying down her cheek. Specks of gold flickered in her eyes, her beautiful eyes. She was baring herself to him, without taking off one piece of clothing. “I love you, Ethan. Freedom is being able to be who I want to be, and spend my time with who I want to spend my time. And all I can say is, I want to be with you.”
He stepped toward her, and she did the same, meeting him halfway. What an accurate representation of their circumstances. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I mean, we can take it slowly, you know, because of the kids. I don’t want them to feel intimidated by having me as your girlfriend.”
He appreciated her being so caring, but he doubted her permanent presence in their lives would be a problem. They adored her, and he had every confidence the four of them would be happy together. “We’ll take it however you want to take it, my love.” He held her hands, and noticed her fingers trembled, her palms cold.
“Are you sure? God, Ethan, I’ve missed you so much,” she said, and launched into his arms, holding him, putting her arms around him, her face rubbing on his chest.
Her feminine scent swirled around him, tantalizing his senses. He held her back, encircling her in his arms, loving how safe and fulfilled she had the power of making him feel. She made him feel things he’d never thought he needed before, yet now, could not live without. “I love you, Poppy. You’re everything I need in my life, and all I want.”
He kissed her. A strong, passionate kiss that branded her his. Forever.
“Are you alone?” she said, no doubt referring to if someone was in his place.
“Not anymore,” he said, and pulled her inside. “From now on, we’re together,” he said, then closed the door to his apartment, and carried her in his arms. He’d done it. They’d done it. And from now on, there was no going back…
