Blake pulled his car over behind Willow’s, his jaw ticking at the sight of smoke still blowing from the engine. He’d known the thing was old and didn’t have many miles left in it. He should have upgraded it the second he’d returned to her.
He shot a look into his back seat. Mila was fast asleep. She’d nodded off the second he started driving. Her lids had already been drooping during the movie. Luckily, he’d already put her in pajamas before leaving his place, so she was ready to be popped into bed.
Stepping out of the car, he walked over to Willow’s window. As soon as she spotted him, her eyes widened. Then she opened the door, climbing out.
“What are you doing here? Where’s—”
“She’s in the car, honey. Grab your stuff. I’ll take you home.”
Her eyes swung over to his car, a light frown touching her brows. She almost looked like she wanted to say something, but then seemed to reconsider it, reaching back into the car and grabbing her laptop bag before swinging the door closed.
Immediately, Blake slid the bag from her fingers, grazing her skin as he did. The spark of awareness that shot through his system was one he was intimately familiar with. One that he’d felt with each and every touch since he was a teenager. The woman’s body spoke to his. Always had. Always would.
Placing a hand on the middle of her back, he opened the passenger-side door, helping her slide in before walking around the car.
He pulled onto the road as Willow’s head shot around. He heard her soft sigh as she watched their daughter sleep.
When he spoke, he did so quietly, not wanting to wake Mila. “I’ll call Bert in the morning to tow your car to his shop.” He’d also start looking into new cars for her, but he’d broach that topic later.
“I can do that.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I was already going to call him about my car. You’ll be busy with tutoring tomorrow. I don’t mind.” He changed the subject quickly, not wanting to debate it. “How was study group?”
A moment of silence passed. Then another. He shot a quick look beside him, noticing the deep crease in the lines beside her eyes, the way her lips pinched just a bit too tightly.
His hand itched to reach out and take hers. To touch her in any way. He didn’t.
“It was fine.” Her breath hitched on the last word, heartbeat altering in its pattern just slightly.
She was lying.
His brows tugged together. “What happened?”
She gave a small laugh, even though there wasn’t much humor there. “I hate how you do that. It’s not fair that you can tell when I’m not being honest.”
“Willow…”
She gave a small huff. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. And you really didn’t need to pick me up. I’m sure one of the other guys could have done it. It might be hard to transfer Mila back to her bed at your place.”
“I’m not taking her to my place. When I drop you off, I’ll take her to her room.”
He felt her eyes on him. “But it’s your night.”
He lifted a shoulder. “It’s Tuesday night, and she’s due back with you tomorrow. May as well just pop her into her bed.”
Blake had Mila on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights, and Willow had her the rest of the week. It was working well enough. But it was also killing him. He didn’t want to be a part-time father. And he certainly didn’t want this distance between him and Willow. She was his wife. She belonged with him.
“Okay. Thank you.” Willow didn’t like being a part-time mom, either. There was some relief in her tone. Relief that Mila would be with her tonight. “Do you have any…ah, trips coming up?”
The muscles in his arms tightened. He knew she hated him going away. Knew it had been a large part of the problem when they’d been together. He hadn’t been there for her when she’d needed him most.
“No. None planned at the moment.”
But he’d be returning to Saudi Arabia very soon. Everyone was working overtime searching for Ahmad. And his wife was being very forthcoming with possible locations for the man. He was furious at the fact that the asshole was still out there, planning God knows what.
“Mila will be happy,” she said softly.
He shot a quick look over at her. “Just Mila?”
Her head turned, and she looked out the window, but before she did, he caught the quirking of her lips.
Yeah, she missed him. She just didn’t like to admit it out loud.
When they reached her place, Blake carefully carried Mila to her bedroom. Even though he’d only moved them in earlier this year, Willow had done an amazing job of making the house look like a home. Feel like a home.
Willow peeled back the sheets of Mila’s bed and Blake lay her down. He pressed a kiss to her head before standing. Willow did the same before they headed out to the kitchen.
She moved straight to the kettle, filling it with water at the tap. “Can I make you a coffee or tea?”
Blake sat on a stool at the small island, watching her graceful movements. “Tea would be great.”
He wasn’t a huge fan of the stuff, and Willow knew it, but anything that meant more time with her was something he grabbed on to with both hands. His time away from Willow had taught him to never take a second with loved ones for granted. Something he should have learned a lot earlier.
There was silence as she puttered around the space. Blake didn’t mind silence. In fact, he welcomed it. Silence with Willow had always been comfortable. Peaceful, even.
When the teas were ready, she turned and handed him a mug. As he took it, he intentionally grazed his fingers against hers.
There was a quick intake of breath. A slight widening of her eyes. Then she whipped her hand back like she’d been burned.
There’d once been a time she would have leaned into him. Touched his chest. Smiled against his lips.
His chest constricted at the memory.
She cleared her throat, breaking the spell. “How far did you get into Frozen?”
He lifted his mug. “We made it to Anna meeting Olaf. Just. Didn’t quite find Elsa though.”
Willow chuckled. The sound was as familiar to him as the rest of her. God, but he lived for that sound. “That’s okay. Olaf is the star of the show.”
He was to Mila.
Blake was about to lift his mug when he saw the small frown crease her forehead. It was a frown he recognized. “You have a headache.” It wasn’t a question.
“Only a small one. I should probably go to bed.”
It was only eight-thirty. “You need to stop working so hard.” Not only was she studying to become a teacher, she did online tutoring for kids overseas.
She rolled her pretty green eyes. Those eyes were the other thing that had haunted his dreams while he’d been away. “I’m okay. Final year of juggling tutoring and study.”
He leaned forward, quieting his voice. “You could lean on me. Let me support you while you study.”
Willow’s gaze lowered to her mug. Blake had said those same words before. On more than one occasion. The idea of leaning on the man, letting him take care of her, was so damn tempting.
But it was equally terrifying.
“I appreciate the offer.” She took a small sip of her tea, barely tasting it.
A flash of frustration lit his gray eyes. “But you don’t want to lean on me, just in case it means something more.”
In case? There was no in case. The second she let him look after her, the second she let him close in any way—other than being Mila’s father—she’d remember how much she liked it. Missed it. And bit by bit, he’d break down the walls she’d erected around her heart.
She gave a short nod.
A muscle ticked in his jaw, then he sighed. “Okay, honey.”
Even though he acquiesced, she heard what he didn’t say. Okay…for now. He wasn’t giving up. She knew that as well as she knew him. Because that’s just who he was. He didn’t give up until he got exactly what he wanted.
His eyes were intense as they watched her, skirting over every little part of her face, like he saw everything. It was too much.
Dipping her head, she took a big sip of her tea, barely registering how it burned her tongue and throat. Turning, she plonked the mug in the sink, knowing she wouldn’t be touching the rest. “I think I should be getting to bed now.”
She moved around the other side of the island and toward the front door. She was just reaching for the knob when strong, warm fingers wrapped around her wrist, turning her gently.
She hadn’t heard him coming, but then, he’d always moved silently, even when they were kids. Silent and graceful. Like a tiger before attacking its prey.
“Willow—”
“Please don’t.”
There was a small pause. Instead of letting go, he stepped closer, thumb stroking the inside of her wrist. “You can’t run from this forever.” His words were gentle whispers to her soul. Whispers that she’d heard before in her own mind.
Another swipe across her wrist. She swallowed. “This?”
His next step forward had his chest pressed to her front, heating her. Dwarfing her. His musky, familiar scent intoxicating. “Us. Our connection. What we have. What we’ve always had.”
His other hand went to her hip, fingers skirting up and beneath her top, touching the flesh of her waist.
Her eyes tried to shutter, but she kept them open with sheer grit. How often had she dreamed about the man touching her again? Kissing her? Holding her like he was keeping her delicate fragments together?
Her gaze remained firmly on his chest; she was too much of a coward to meet his eyes. “We tried, Blake. We didn’t work. Not after becoming parents. I don’t want Mila to see us together if we’re not forever. And I don’t want her to see us in a bad place. She needs stability.”
His humorless chuckle finally had her eyes lifting. She immediately regretted it. Thunderous and dark, his gaze had her breath catching. “Baby, there is nothing more forever than you and me.”
Then, before she realized what he was doing, his head lowered, his mouth capturing hers.
For a moment she stood completely still. Blood rushed through her body, piercing the heart she’d long ago caged off.
His lips brushed and swiped, tempting. It wasn’t until that thumb on her waist grazed her skin again that the last remnants of her restraint snapped, and she leaned into him, sweeping her hands around his neck, humming deep inside her throat.
Blake growled, lifting her in his arms and pressing her against the wall beside the door.
Her core heated against his hard stomach, a low gasp separating her lips. Blake took advantage, pressing his tongue inside her mouth. Tasting her.
This was it. Everything she’d been missing. Craving. The connection her heart would never forget. Heat flared through her abdomen, tingling across her skin. Her fingers tugged and slid through his hair, her pebbled nipples grazing his chest.
His lips tore from hers to trail down her cheek and then her neck. “Kissing you is like fire and ice fusing inside me.”
She felt it. All of it. The icy prickles of yearning, the burning of passionate flames. It was the melding of want and desire. Even during their darkest days, the ones where she’d felt not just disconnected from Blake, but from the entire world, this inexplicable physical connection had still existed. Like nothing and no one could break it.
His hand rose, closing over a breast. Holding her. Thumb flicking her tight nipple. Her head flew back, a quiet, strangled cry escaping from between her teeth.
Air touched her breast when her shirt and bra were pushed up. Then his head lowered and her taut nipple was sucked between his lips, pressed against his tongue.
God, the man destroyed her. He knew, he’d always known, exactly what to do to drive her crazy. To push her right to the edge.
She ground her hips against him, pressing her chest farther into his mouth, greedy for more. He was awakening something deep inside her. Something she’d shut down long ago.
Her nipple popped out of his mouth, causing her soft cry to pierce the air. His hand returned to her tender flesh as his mouth trailed up her throat. “We belong together, Willow.”
She paused, turning his words over in her muddy head. He’d said that before. So many times. And she’d believed it for so long…until she hadn’t.
The bubble of desire popped and her hands went to his chest, pushing. “Put me down, Blake.”
He froze, his head lifting off her neck slowly as he studied her. Searching.
What was he looking for? Doubt? Longing?
She clenched her jaw, refusing to let emotion seep in.
“This isn’t about Mila,” he said softly. “You’re scared.”
Her breath caught. He was right. So damn right it made her chest ache. But still, she had to ask. “Scared of what?”
He tugged her bra back into place, then her top, covering her breast. A hand went to her cheek, cupping her tenderly. “Of having me again, only to lose me. I’m not sure if you’re scared of losing me emotionally or physically. Maybe both.”
A little part of her chest cracked. He was right again. They’d lost each other emotionally long before they’d lost each other physically. The two years before he’d been taken had been so dang hard.
And then he’d just…disappeared.
He lowered her to her feet gently. Then slowly, he dipped his head, his breath brushing against her ear. “For as long as I breathe, I will consider you mine. We can be better. We will be better. You just need more time to trust that.”
Her breath didn’t just catch that time, it stopped in her chest completely, denying her air.
His lips pressed to her cheek. “Lock the door after me, honey.”
Then he was gone, disappearing into the dark night.
