* * *
Time crept by while Scott sat on the edge of the bed, the engagement ring box in his hand. J.R. laid in the middle in the bed, completely unaware that his owner was in turmoil. Fifteen years ago seemed liked a lifetime ago, but that’s when he had it all. Now, he couldn’t believe he didn’t have everything he thought he would have had at this point in his life. His law practice might have been successful, but it had lost its luster.
The diamond sparkled as the light from the small bedside table lamp hit it, and he remembered the day he’d seen it in the window. He had been on his way back from lunch, heading to his office to meet with a client, when the window display at the jeweler’s a block from his office caught his eye. It shined like a beacon through the storm clouds that hung overhead and he knew it was perfect. Not wasting a second, he bought it, called to make reservations at their favorite restaurant for dinner that night, and planned to propose. It was all so storybook perfect…until she walked out on him.
Now, just when he was about to start his life over again, she walked in, throwing everything off balance. His body had reacted as if a day hadn’t passed by, and she could still bring his shaft to attention with only a look. While his body wanted to pick up where they left off, his heart remembered the pain of losing her. He might have been to blame for what happened between them, but could the two of them really go back to what they had?
The ring box slammed shut, echoing through the room, and he knew he wanted to try. He loved her and wasn’t about to let her slip through his fingers a second time. He glanced at the clock; two hours had passed. Rising from the bed, he looked down at his plaid pajama bottoms and his bare chest. For a moment he considered slipping a shirt on but decided it was time to begin to claim his woman. Now or never.
He pulled open the door and could see the light still on in the living room. “You better not have fallen asleep on the sofa.” There she was, stretched out in front of the fireplace, her laptop in front of her. “Liz, you’re supposed to be resting. You’ve hit your head, you shouldn’t be working. What the hell is so important?”
Her whole body shook, clearly startled. “What?” With a yawn she reached up and closed her laptop.
He shook his head. “Nothing has changed with you, has it? You’re still hardheaded.”
“When it’s about someone I care about, then yes.” She rose off her stomach and sat cross-legged. “What do you want, anyway?” Her tone made it clear she didn’t like being interrupted.
“It’s been two hours, I came to check on you.”
“Two hours?” She glanced up at the mantel to the clock before she looked back at him. “Wow. I didn’t realized I had been working that long. Don’t bitch, I’ll quit now. See you in two hours, I’ll be in the guest room, then.”
Dismissed, he turned on his heels. Well, that could have gone better. Damn it, how was he supposed to make things better between them if she snapped at him every time they were in the same room together? He couldn’t understand what she wanted from him. Then again maybe she wanted nothing from him and that pained him more than he thought it would have.
He kicked his bedroom door shut and slipped out of his pajama pants before climbing into the bed. His thoughts twisted and turned when it came to her as he reset his alarm for two hours. Rest, that’s what he needed if he was going to be on top of his game to pass carefully through the murky waters of Liz Hoffman.
He flicked off his bedside table when a tap on his door echoed throughout the room. “Yes.”
The door opened; not waiting for an invitation, she strolled in. “I was a bitch and I’m sorry.”
She lowered herself to sit on the side of the bed, and he wished he wasn’t naked under the blanket but he hadn’t expected her to just stroll into his room. J.R. brought his head up to look back at them before laying it back down. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” When she tucked a curl behind her ear, the urge to wrap his arms around her and pull her down into bed with him coursed through him.
“Scott…” Her voice broke before she seemed to gather control of herself. “I screwed up years ago but…”
“Stop, that’s in the past.”
“Damn it, let me finish.” She took his hand into hers. “What I’m trying to say is that I’ve never stopped loving you. I understand that you’ve moved on and I’ll respect that, but I wanted you to know how I felt.” She stood, but he grabbed hold of her hand, stopping her from leaving.
“You should have confronted me, maybe I’d have seen reason and told you what was going on then.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what I would have done, but I know this…maybe we wouldn’t have wasted all these years.”
“What are you saying?”
He tugged her back down onto the bed. “That I’ve loved you since you poured coffee all over my law papers and I still love you. It’s always been you, Liz, always.”
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