Page 114 of The House Guest

Then again, that wasn’t the Dorian I knew. He’d seemed pained to see me.

I was still pacing when the door opened, and Dorian again stood before me. He looked incredibly handsome in gray track pants and a fitted T-shirt. His hair was wet fromthe shower, and the sight of him, along with his familiar smell, caused my nipples to stiffen.

“You came back…”

“Did you really doubt that I would?”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”

Dorian stepped toward me. “I need to set the record straight.”

My stomach sank. His demeanor wasn’t exactly warm.Oh no.Pushing my shoulders back, I gulped and prepared for the worst. “Okay…”

“Obviously I wasn’t expecting this. So bear with me if I’m still processing.” He exhaled. “I made a decision that might seem rash, but I feel it’s for the best right now.”

Every muscle in my body tightened as I closed my eyes. In my head, I was already on my way home.

“I broke up with Liv.”

My eyes flashed open. “What?”

“The moment you walked back into my life today, all the things I felt when I last saw you came flooding back. I need the space to work through this while you’re here.”

“That was the last thing I expected you to say,” I admitted, letting out a relieved breath.

“This doesn’t mean I have confidence, Primrose. I don’t feel I can trust that you won’t go back to him and continue on with your life once you leave.”

I smiled sadly, opting not to try to convince him. It would be actions, not words, that made a difference.

“Something changed in me when after everything, you chose him,” Dorian said. “And even though I understand, it took away a level of trust I had in us that I’m not sure I can get back.”

That was hard to hear, but it made sense. I was relieved, though, that he wasn’t telling me to leave. He’d chosen me, even if I hadn’t earned the right to be chosen. He’d chosen me—for now.

“All that being said…” He opened his arms as his mouth curved into a smile. “Please come here so I can hug you.”

The breaths I’d been holding finally escaped as I rushed forward and leaped into his arms. I let my body melt into his, feeling both comfort and fear. This was it. The next seven days were our last chance. These seven days would make or break us forever. Still, despite the turmoil in my mind, it felt so very good to be held by him again.

When he pulled back, I looked him in the eyes. “I promise I’m not here to hurt you. And I agree, we need this time to figure it out. But I can assure you I followed my heart here. It was the first time I’ve done that since I left my heart in this very place more than five years ago.”

He patted my back. “Get your bags. Let’s go to the house.”

“Are you sure? I can stay here while—”

“Of course I’m sure. I’m not gonna let you stay with Benjamin—unless you want to be bored out of your wits.”

I laughed, still feeling jittery as I headed to the room where I’d put all my stuff.

Dorian waited as I gathered my belongings, and I texted Benjamin to let him know I was moving to the mansion.

Benjamin responded with a smiley-face emoji.

As I followed Dorian up the walkway to the main house, nostalgia washed over me. Living here felt like forever ago and just yesterday all at once. How was that possible? He opened the door, and I looked around. The mansion looked much the same, except the furniture in the living room had changed. Some of the same artwork hung on the walls.

I dropped my bag and walked over to the old grandfather clock, which I was pleased to see still ticking. “Hey, old man,” I murmured.

Then it hit me.The dogs.

“What happened to Tallulah and Tess?”