He’d gone to Venice because of her, hiding his grief behind smiles and a laid back attitude. Then he’d seen Anika, radiant and colorful in pink and purple—the Venetian sun shining down on her golden brown skin. She’d shaken him out of his funk. Now here she was for a second time—this time as he struggled with the challenge of being a single parent. Was it only coincidence that she had come along when he needed heragain?
“Our trip wasn’t that long ago, and I can’t pretend that I don’t feel what I feel. That’s impossible.” He cupped her exposed shoulder and stepped closer, leaving very little space separating them. She tilted back her head to look up at him. “If I could go back in time and redo the day I left, I would. I’d tell you that I wanted to stay and admit that I was scared. It’s no excuse, but I’m sorry I hurt you. I don’t think I’ve ever regretted anything as much as I regret leaving youthatday.”
Tears surfaced in her eyes and she bit down on her lower lip. He continued talking because he knew he was getting throughtoher.
“Every single day and every single night we spent together have stayed with me. You haven’t forgotten, either, have you? This is going to sound like a bullshit line, but I still miss your laugh. That’s one of the most vivid memories I have of us. The two of us laughing, over dinner or in bed. You helped me a lot. I don’t think you knowhowmuch.”
Her face crumbled for a second before she got her emotions under control. “You helped me, too. More than you know. I’d been at a low point after Emersondumpedme.”
“Lucky for me, Emerson was a fool.” He traced her bottom lip with his thumb. He wanted to kiss her so badly. The constant need to do so had punctuated his thoughts every few minutes throughout the evening. “Do you believeinfate?”
She closedhereyes.
“I do,” Reed continued. “I don’t think it was chance that we ran into each other thousands of miles away on another continent. I don’t think it was chance that I met Judge Evers at a function and got a referral to Davenport Design Studio. That was fate, bringing us togetheragain.”
Anika opened her eyes, and he met her gaze unflinchingly, imploring her to accept the truth of hiswords.
Reed rested a hand on the roof of the car and bent his head. He was so close now, he saw the individual lashes of her eyes. She pressed a hand against his chest to keep himatbay.
“You can’t deny this attraction between us, Anika. This…thing. I don’t even know how to describe it. Venice was incredible. Fantastic. I’ve never forgotten our time together.Haveyou?”
“No.” She took a shaky breath. “Reed, we shouldn’t. I can’t.” Her voice shook. “It was so long ago and everything is different. Wecan’twork.”
“Idisagree.”
She was trying to talk herself out of it, but nothing she said would make him change his mind. He’d screwed up by letting her walk away once before. He didn’t plan on making the same mistakeagain.
Their eyes met, and in an instant, he knew that he would kiss her, and he knew that she wouldlethim.
He kissed her shoulder, taking his time and breathing her in. The scent of her perfume and skin were a subtle aphrodisiac. God help him, he wanted her so badly, every nerve in his body screamed withtheneed.
Slipping a hand to the back of her neck and beneath the heavy weight of her hair, Reed licked his lips. “I can still taste you,” he whisperedhoarsely.
He grazed her mouth with his. It was just enough to give him a taste of strawberry lip gloss. When she inhaled sharply, he took the opportunity to seize herpartedlips.
