Page 124 of Succeeding Love
With a deep breath, I opened the front door, ready to face her wrath. I expected to be slapped or kicked for kidnapping Kevin to get her to see me. I had fucking blackmailed her, for fuck’s sake.
Instead, the moment Lynn saw me, she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around my waist. I stood frozen for a second, thinking I was hallucinating or something. Her jumping into my arms was the last thing I expected to happen.
Then the warmth from her body sank into me. The smell of her shampoo filtered through my nose. As my arms encircled her tiny frame, all the anxiety I had felt until this point just melted away.
Not saying a single word, we stood there holding one another, right on the threshold of my house. The house I grew up in. The place I always came back to. It was no longer home. Lynnwas my home, and the reunion I was feeling at that moment was so fucking sweet.
“You got my card?” I whispered hoarsely. My throat felt clogged with many emotions.
“Maybe.” she nuzzled her face against my chest. I felt her moisture leaking through the front of my shirt, and I knew she was crying.
“Baby,” I crooned, grabbing hold of her face. She was so fucking beautiful, even with her eyes red and her cheeks laced with tears. “I’m sorry,” my voice came out in an airy rasp. “Last night, I was such an ass. And then today with my ex-”
Her teary eyes narrowed. “Yeah. About your ex….”
I felt nervous again, seeing that fierce expression on her teary little face. But then the corner of her lips lifted in a half-smirk.
“I guess both of our exes are assholes.”
I chuckled, hearing her curse with such a cute, teary face. I used my thumbs to wipe the salty moisture from her soft cheeks.
“Yeah. We do, don’t we?”
She nodded, resting her chin on my chest. “I’m sorry too.”
“For what? Being so fucking adorable?” I bent over and nuzzled my nose to hers.
“No,” she giggled, and it was music to my ears. “For not yelling it out with you last night. I wished I hadn’t sent you home.”
I smiled sadly. “Yeah. You and me both.”
She looked so sweet and guilty as she averted her gaze. “Then today I didn’t talk about anything with you.”
My smile slipped. “Yeah, but you were busy.” I tried to keep the frown off my face as I asked, “How’s Nick?”
She shrugged. “Miserable and in pain, but he’ll live. He’s mom and the kids are with him.”
I nodded, trying to not let my true feelings show.
Then Lynn laughed and said, “I get it now.”
I furrowed my brows. “Get what?”
“Why you got so mad last night. Why you couldn’t stop yourself.”
A wave of shame hit me. “That wasn’t my proudest moment.”
“No, but I get it,” she smiled, cute but deviously. “I felt the same way when I saw your ex, too.”
I laughed, resting my head on hers. “Well, you have my permission to deck her if you ever get the chance.”
“Watch it. I just might. You might need to bail me and my short girl energy out of jail.”
“Short girl energy?”
She giggled, then said, “Ask Preston. Apparently I have it.”
“Hmm,” I smiled, squeezing her tighter to me. “Must mean you’re adorable all the time.”