Page 14 of The Bargain (Dalton Family #2)

Chapter Fourteen

Sofia

H is hands slide away from my arms, and his withdrawal is as brutal as a bitter-cold winter night when everything about Ethan has been sunshine and new hope, hope I realize now I’ve needed in a soul-deep way.

I cannot save him by destroying us for the third and likely final time.

Not when he came here today, sought me out, and showed I’m more to him than a hotel room.

I fold my arms around him and tilt my chin upward to meet his stare.

And even when he doesn’t touch me, when he just stares down at me, I dare to be as vulnerable as I choose to believe he’s been with me.

“Whatever you think you just read in me, you’re wrong.

Harper told me if I care what happens to you, I need to get you out of here.

And just now I thought, this problem with David is the way I get him out of here .

I told myself to be selfless and either convince you to leave or force you to leave, when that’s not what I want at all. Not even a little bit.”

“Sofia,” he says, and his hands are back on my arms, and it’s as sweet as anything has ever been in my life. I don’t know what is happening between me and Ethan, but I’m powerless to stop it, and I hope he is, too. “You need—”

“For you to let me ramble a minute, okay? There are things you need to know about me before you get involved.”

He studies me a moment and gives a small nod.

Nerves assail me, but I don’t allow myself to shy away from what I feel in my core I need to say to him.

“When you dropped your arms,” I say, “when you pulled away without even physically moving, I couldn’t push you away.

I made myself do it, no matter how I reasoned it was to protect you, and I pray we both don’t regret that weakness in me. ”

“That wasn’t weak. It was what we both needed.”

“It’s what I needed. I’m not sure it’s what you needed.”

“You underestimate me, sweetheart. I know what I’m doing.”

“Okay, well then, eyes wide open, right? That’s where we’re at?”

“It’s absolutely where we’re at, but what does that mean to you, right here and now?”

“I don’t want a fling with you, and if I’m honest with you and me, I did run. Twice. And that’s what made me run.”

“Be more specific.”

“I thought you wanted a fling, and I was being stupid and would certainly get hurt. And Ethan, my capacity for being hurt since losing my mother is not high. I’m delicate in ways that make me a little angry at myself.

I’ve always been strong. She was strong.

I don’t know why I can’t be stronger now.

And as to why I don’t want to tell my father?

The reason his business faltered was simply grief.

No one who hasn’t lost the love of their life can understand what he lived through, not even me.

She was my mother, but she was his partner in life. ”

“For the record, I didn’t know about your mother when I looked at his history. I’m not as cold as you may think I am. I would have considered how that impacted him and his business.”

“I think you’re a smart businessperson, Ethan, not an asshole.

And you didn’t know because he’s not the kind of person who makes excuses, but it’s all working out.

He’s back now, and he’s landed a big client, which has attracted a potential investor that he’s talking to now.

I get why you turned him down, but you’re also going to regret it, I promise you, but right now, I need him to keep focusing on all the good that’s happening to him and me, not something that muddies the water when it later won’t. ”

“Me. Us.”

“Right. That’s what I’m saying, but that’s it. That’s all of what I needed to get out there. It was a lot, I know, but I felt I needed to say it.”

“I’m glad you did.” His eyes are warm, and he captures my hands, dragging them to his mouth, his lips brushing softly over my knuckles in a ridiculously romantic act that sets my belly to fluttering.

“You keep surprising me in all the right ways, Sofia,” he adds.

“Let’s get out of here before your father shows up. ”

“Thank you, Ethan.”

“Just to be safe, I’m going to go next door and get us some coffee for the drive to the passport office. You take care of what you need to and meet me there.”

“You need rest. I can go on my own.”

“I’m going with you.” His tone is stubbornly absolute. “I’ll rest later, and for the record, what kind of coffee do you want?”

“Tell them ‘Sofia’s usual,’ though I’m sure it’ll get tongues wagging. The ladies over there are the neighborhood gossips.”

He laughs and kisses me. “Sofia’s usual it is.” He heads for the door, and I watch him leave, wanting to pull him back, wanting to hold onto him. The way he’s holding onto me. No more running.