She knocked the roses to the floor. “You don’t get to do this! You don’t get to walk back into my life and fix things. You don’t get me to fall in love with you again, make my children to depend on you, build a house and in general make me trust you, just to have someone say it was part of your career plan!” She stalked to the window. Such dreams, and God help her, she was desperately in love with him. Dashing at the tears streaking down her cheeks, she stared out the window. She wanted to believe he had changed, needed to believe he’d changed.
When he stood behind her and cupped her shoulders, she shrugged off his hands and moved away.
“Symmone.”
“I’m not some pick-up wife to seduce and use as needed.” She faced him. “Did I ever mean anything to you?”
His eyes widened. “Baby, you mean everything to me.”
She searched his face. Truth rang in his words, and she read sincerity in his eyes, yet she still wasn’t convinced. “I don’t need you in my life.”
He flinched, but nodded. “You’ve made that quite clear, but I need you. These last few weeks have made me realize what’s truly important. The promotion is nice and everything I’ve worked for, but I would gladly give it all up to spend the rest of my life with you. My job, my life means nothing without you by my side.”
Tears clogged her throat, and she swallowed to keep the moisture from leaking from her eyes.
She couldn’t be swayed by his words; that’s what got her in the predicament she was in now. She wanted to believe him, but it was too much like the first time.
“I-I need time to think.” Her voice cracked on the words, and she cleared her throat. She crossed to the closet and pulled down a duffel bag.
“Where are you going?”
She barely spared him a glance as she crossed to the chest of drawers where her clothes were kept. “I told you. I need to think.”
He stepped behind her, slid his hands down her arms, and grasped her hands. She closed her eyes at the tingles shivering through her body at the contact. His lips were warm and moist as they grazed her ear.
“Don’t leave. The kids are asleep. Please. I just found you again.”
His plea tore at her heart, left her more confused than before. She wanted to give in to his appeal and even more to the sensations roiling through her body, but she needed to be certain.
Entirely too much was at stake. If her heart was broken this time, there would be no coming back.
She shook off his hands and closed the drawer. “This isn’t done.”
“I know.”
The weight of his stare followed her as she picked up the duffel bag and replaced it in the closet. One thing she was certain of, she needed space to sort out her thoughts. And if she had to wait until he went to sleep, then so be it.
Chapter Twelve
She was gone when he woke the next morning. Somehow he thought a good night’s sleep would put things in prospective. When she didn’t come home that evening or the next, he really couldn’t blame her. Yet that knowledge didn’t ease the burden of guilt and loneliness weighting his shoulders.
Leo wandered from room to room, hoping, expecting to see Symmone or one of the children.
Nothing. Emptiness and silence greeted him.
Enveloped him until it pushed in to suffocate him with desolation and despair.
He stood outside the family room, one corner dedicated for his office space. Symmone’s old sofa bed sat against one wall. She’d wanted to get rid of it, but he’d talked her into keeping it as a reminder of their new beginning. He never wanted to cause her that type of pain again, and because of his ambition he had.
Despite the changes he’d made, nothing would matter if he couldn’t tell Symmone the truth. He couldn’t live another day, let alone a decade, without her or the children. As he entered the room, his gaze fell on his desk; plans for a dollhouse and tree house waited for him to finish.
Moisture pooled in his eyes and clogged his throat as he sank heavily to the sofa behind him.
He dropped his head to his hands. All he needed was one more chance; this time he could–no, would– make the right choice.
Giggles and chatter shattered his reverie and his head snapped up. Excitement pulsed through his veins. Did he dare hope…? Footsteps grew louder, then faded on the stairs overhead.
Heels clicking against the wood floor, along with the soft scent of spiced vanilla, preceded Symmone’s entrance. He stood as she entered and stopped in front of him, just out of reach.
“I called your office and was informed you’d resigned.”
He nodded, his heart stuck in his throat.
Right now he just wanted to gather her close, hold her soft body in his arms and know she was real.
“I realized I was chasing the wrong dream.”
She nodded. “Yes, you were.” She moved past him to lift a photo of the four of them from the end table. “I thought about us.”
Leo closed his eyes. He had to say this, even if it cost him everything. She needed to know what she meant to him.
“Listen for one moment. Yes, I quit my job, but it was the only way to show you I was serious.
Working for Greene and Banks Architects is what cost me a life with you in the first place. I don’t want a partnership to take you away from me again.” He stepped in front of her and skimmed his hands down her bare arms. So smooth and silky.
“I’m opening my own design company, Sym.” He held her gaze. “I need you to know how truly sorry I am. These last couple of days reminded me that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life without you or the kids. I love you too much to let you go.”
She eyed him a long moment before speaking. “I don’t need you in my life,” she said quietly.
He stiffened; too little, too late. She’d made her decision and now he would be reduced to, what, part-time dad, no-time husband? He dropped his gaze to their twined fingers. The diamonds on the wedding bands glittered, mocking him for what he could no longer have.
“But I want you in my life.”
His gaze snapped to her face, and the smile quirking her lips radiated through his soul as nothing else could. He searched her eyes and read the love in their honey-almond depths.
He drew her close, one hand resting at her waist while he trailed his fingers through the silk of her hair. “I want you too, sweetheart.” He dropped his mouth to hers, stealing whatever words she would’ve said, drinking in the sweetness of her lips.
Pledging his love and commitment in one easy kiss.
“Oh, man! They’re at it again,” LJ said, followed by an exaggerated sigh from Jewel.
They broke apart with a chuckle. Symmone swiped at the moisture on her cheeks while Leo held her close.
“Did you two need something?” he said. He glanced at Symmone, and she’d composed herself.
Reluctantly he released her.
“We wanted to show you what we got for you,” Jewel answered. “But we had to put our stuff away first.”
As the children chattered, Leo stared over the tops of their heads to the woman who’d made it all possible. She flashed him a sultry smile and he relaxed. The promise of passion flickered in her eyes.
****
Later, much later when they were both naked and in bed, Symmone rolled on her side, propped on her elbow, and cradled her chin in her hand. “How do I know you’re serious about this?”
He chuckled and smoothed a hand down her thigh. “I was wondering when you’d get around to that particular point.”
She sat up, pulling the sheet to cover her breasts. “It was a little difficult with kids clamoring for attention and then you dragging me into the shower.”
He flicked on the bedside lamp and picked up an envelope from the nightstand. “I meant what I said, Sym. Having you by my side means the world to me, and seeing the pain I caused you wasn’t worth the partnership. I’d rather start my own firm than lose you again.” He tapped the envelope. “I signed the lease on som
e office space yesterday.”
He cupped her face. “I needed you to know I truly learned my lesson.”
She leaned over and lightly touched her lips to his. “Thank you.”
He wrapped his arms around her and dragged her against the heat of his body. Need sidled through her veins as she pressed closer. She’d had time to think, and a lifetime without Leo would be unbearable. Love wasn’t about giving up, but giving him another chance. And if she truly loved him, she’d give him a chance to make things right.
His lips grazed the curve of her shoulder and a sigh whispered past her lips. Yeah, she hoped Leo would spend the rest of their lives making things right.
About The Author
W. Lynn Chantale resides in southeastern Michigan.
Married to her high school sweetheart, they’ve been together for the last twenty years. They have three children. She writes African-American and Interracial Romance across the erotic, contemporary and suspense genres. She’s also a member of RWA, GDRWA, Kiss of Death, Passionate Ink, has a mad affinity for chocolate, and plays the bass guitar when the Muse begs for a bit of distraction.
I love hearing from readers and can be found at my cyber home at
Website: http://wlynnchantale.com
Blog: http://wlynnchantale-
decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/wlynnchantale
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/W.LynnChantaleAuthor
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The Pick-Up Wife Page 8