Page 60 of Honey Bun
Hurting him was the last thing I wanted to do, but it seemed I kept doing it. I stared out the window to avoid him. “And I worry about everything.”Especially pleasing you.
He put his hand out in front of me like he wanted me to hold it. “You don’t have to. Just trust me.”
The helicopter landed, but the engine still roared. We stayed in our seats, but I took his hand and yelled, “Well, I trust you because you’re the only man who ever even tried to get to know me.”
His palm on mine made me feel amazing. I never wanted to let go. We stayed where we were until a staff person opened the door.
We left the loud helicopter and stepped away from the helipad, and he said, “Then I’m the lucky one.”
I glanced up the hill at a pink building with blue shutters. “Are we at the hotel?”
He nodded. “Up the path. We’ll have to walk or take the golf cart up.”
I patted my stomach. We’d skipped dessert, and I was full. “Walk. Dinner was too delicious.”
He squeezed me gently and said with a smile, “Whatever you want.”
“That’s what you always say.” I began to blubber.
He was always so sweet. I needed to stop lying to myself or digging out reasons to avoid him because the truth was he was perfect in every way.
Arman
Maddie’s tears were a punch in the gut. I’d wanted to join her life with mine, but every time it seemed we were getting closer, something happened, and I wasn’t designed to handle a woman’s tears.
I hugged her. “Don’t cry. I’ll take you home if that’s what you want.”
She grabbed my shirt, and her eyes widened. “No. These are tears, but it’s not… I’m happy. I promise. I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
Her cheeks didn’t dry. We walked slowly to the door, and just outside, I whispered, “Everything is going to be okay.”
She wiped her face and reached for the handle. “Maybe. I’m all screwed up. Let’s go inside.”
Right.The truth was, she didn’t want me. At the counter, when I handed over my ID and credit card, I said to her, “We can get two rooms if that makes you feel better.”
She sucked in her lip. “I came here to be with you.”
The clerk said, “You’re in a suite that has two master bedrooms.”
She smiled for the first time since we’d arrived. “Let’s go, Arman. We need to talk.”
I nodded. This might be the last time we were together. Letting her go was going to take every ounce of strength I had. That night, I would draw up preliminary plans to ensure that she and Aurora never suffered.
When we got to the hotel room, she opened the door. On the helicopter, I’d half imagined carrying her over the threshold like she was my bride. But I only closed the door behind us as she walked in.
“The room is incredible.” She didn’t even look at me as she headed to one of the closed doors of a bedroom and called over her shoulder, “Don’t go anywhere. I need to clean myself up for a few minutes.”
There was nothing I could do. If she wanted to be with me, she needed to make the choice. I headed to the other side to give her space as I called out, “I’ll have staff send up our change of clothes, Maddie.”
“Have them be fast. I want to be alone with you.”
I stopped and faced her from across the room. My heart whispered that she loved me. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I need a few minutes, and then I’m all yours.”
I deflated. That wasn’t a declaration. She was going to break my heart, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Chapter Eighteen