“Terrible news about that nasty business you were in,” the old woman next to him went on. “I heard your wife left.”
His gaze snapped to her. “What?”
She waved a hand. “Oh, honey. No one can keep secrets in this town. My daughter just went through a divorce. She’s about your age. I should give you her number.”
Bingo. That did it. Ryan pushed out of his chair and mustered up a polite smile. “Would you excuse me?”
He weaved his way through the crowded dance floor. Was afraid he just might implode if he didn’t get out soon. Freedom teased him from the corner of the room. He was stopped a handful of times by business acquaintances. Each one grated on his already frayed nerves.
Excusing himself from the last conversation, he stepped toward the door, only to be stopped by a familiar voice.
“Mon cher, it’s so good to see you.”
Oh, shit. Monique.
He stared into her perfect face surrounded by that thick mane of red hair and couldn’t for the life of him remember what the hell he’d seen in her. “I had no idea you’d be here.”
“My agent roped me into it since I was in the city. Good publicity.”
That made sense. She obviously wasn’t here because she cared about inner city youth.
“You look good, mon cher.” She stepped closer. “So sorry to hear about your recent drama.”
“Yeah, I bet you were.”
She smiled seductively, batted her long lashes. “You never told me about your wife.”
“Well, we never got around to discussing anything serious, did we?”
She eased closer, slid her arm through his, leaned in a breath from his ear. “Why don’t you and I go somewhere quiet, and you can tell me all the sordid details. I’m a good listener.”
Being alone with her was the last thing he wanted. He pulled her hand from his arm. “Don’t you have a date?”
Stupid question. Of course she did.
She waved a hand. “Oh, he’s around somewhere. A complete bore, though. I’d much rather catch up with you, mon cher. You owe me anyway.”
Not gonna happen.
“You know, as tempting as that is, I think I have to pass.” His eyes darted toward the door, judging the distance to freedom. And the air clogged in his lungs when Katie stepped into the room.
She was dressed in jeans, a snug, orange T-shirt, clunky loafers, and a leather jacket that hung off one shoulder. Her curly mass of chestnut hair was wild around her face, and her cheeks were flushed, as if she’d just run ten blocks. And standing there, surrounded by women in ten-thousand-dollar gowns wearing every jewel imaginable, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
She was also supposed to be on a plane. Surprise morphed to worry. He headed her way, barely hearing Monique as she called out to him. When Katie spotted him, she pushed through the crowd, making a beeline straight for him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked when he reached her. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” she said. “Everything. I mean…”
She was flustered. She was never flustered. That worry ramped up a notch. “Katie—”
Her gaze dropped to his left hand, and she sighed, reaching for him, sliding her fingers along his, touching his wedding band. “You’re still wearing this.”
“I always wear it.”
“You’re an idiot, Ryan Harrison. You were going to sit here and wait for me to make up my mind, weren’t you?”
“I told you I would.”
“I don’t deserve you.”
Hope welled inside. “Are you saying you want me?”
She tightened her fingers around his. “I’ve been fighting who I am and what I want because I can’t remember my life. Tonight, sitting in that airport, I realized that you and the kids are my life. I’ve let too much other garbage get in the way. I don’t want to do that anymore.”
She wanted them. His heart swelled even as his eyes slid closed. “You’d better be sure, because I can’t go through losing you again. Twice in one lifetime is too much. If you want me, it’s got to be forever.”
“Ryan, look at me.” Her soft fingers against his jaw brought his eyes open. “I’m still upset that you lied to me. But I understand why you did it. I know it was because you love me, and you were trying to keep me safe. But in addition to your love, I need your trust. I need to know that when things get bad, you’re always going to be there for me. That I can count on you.”
“I will be. You can.”
“And I need to know that deep down, no matter what, you believe I’ll be there for you. Marriage is a partnership. It doesn’t work without trust.”
She was talking about marriage. His heart felt like it grew three sizes in his chest. “Katie—”
She stepped close. So close he could feel the heat from her body, smell the lilac of her skin, see the tears glinting in her eyes. “I’ll tell you what I want. I want you to kiss me like you did at my house, to make love to me like you did at yours. I want to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with you every night. I want our kids and our life together. I want it all, but mostly, I just want you.”
He couldn’t breathe. She wanted him. Really wanted him. Even after he’d screwed things up so badly between them.
Her thumb brushed his bottom lip, sent sparks of heat straight to his soul. “I love you, Ryan Harrison. I always have. I was just too stubborn to realize that’s the only thing that really matters.”
He cradled her face in his hands and swiped away a tear that had fallen from her lashes. “Why did it take you so damn long to figure that out?”
She smiled as he kissed her, as her arms wound around him, as she pulled him so tight, what was left of that ice he’d built up inside finally melted away. “I have brain damage, remember? It takes me a little longer to figure things out.”
“Oh, is that what it is?” Relief and joy mixed through him to meld with the music drifting in the ballroom, already lightening his spirits. “And here I thought you just loved to see me suffer.”
“Only in the bedroom. And only when that suffering leads to pleasure for us both. Speaking of which…” She smiled against his shoulder. “I could go for a little of that pleasure, right now, in fact. If you don’t mind leaving this party early, that is.”
His whole body tightened at the erotic implications of her words. He couldn’t wait to get her home, strip her naked, and lay her out on his bed. On their bed.
He eased back, and his humor faded as he looked down at the woman he’d loved and lost and would never be stupid enough to let go again. Somewhere close he was aware of a camera bulb flashing but for the first time, he didn’t care. “I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry for not being honest with you. For not trusting what was happening between us. I was so afraid of losing you again that I did exactly what I was trying to stop. I pushed you right out of my arms. It won’t happen again. I promise. No more secrets.”
“No more secrets,” she agreed. “Unless it’s Christmas. Or my birthday. Or our anniversary. Come to think of it, today…” her eyes glinted with mischief “…this would be a good anniversary to remember in the future. The day we finally found our way back to each other.”
She was cracking jokes. His heart felt like it sprouted wings. Like it just might fly right out of his chest. His Annie—his Katie—was the only person in the world who knew exactly what he needed.
“I love you,” he whispered. “So damn much. So much more than I ever did before. Please don’t ever leave me.”
Her face softened. And love—a love he’d never expected to have again—shone in the depths of her green eyes under the sparkling chandelier lights. “Never again, Ryan. Never ever again.”