When his fingers came under her chin, lifting it slowly, she met his heated gaze and he smiled. Just a small smile. One that hit her straight in the gut.
“Yeah, you do,” he said softly. “I know you are curious and want answers. I just want a chance to explain, Kacey. I want a chance to fix my mistakes, to love you the way you want to be loved.”
She moved her face from his grip and shook her head in utter shock. Who was this guy? “You don’t love anyone.”
He shrugged. “Maybe before, but now is different. Meet me. Please.”
Looking away, she bit the inside of her cheek as she thought it over. She did want to go. She did want to know what he was doing, but just hearing him say the words had her hoping for forever.
And Jordie didn’t do forevers.
He really has changed.
Lacey’s words rang in her head, but could she believe them?
Looking up, she met his expectant gaze, and while she wanted to press her lips to his, she also wanted to smack him. She hated that he’d put her in this position, that he had brought so much uncertainty in her heart. She didn’t owe him anything and he knew that, but she wouldn’t just submit to him. Wouldn’t do as he asked just because. No, she’d keep him in the dark. The same way he did her.
Clearing her throat, she shrugged. “We’ll see.”
His smile grew as he crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll see?”
She nodded. “Yeah, maybe I can pencil you in. I might decide to go with Liam.”
With his grin still there, he didn’t say anything, and she knew she had to get out of there. It was obvious he wasn’t going anywhere. Turning, she went through the doorway, but when she reached for the door to shut it, her eyes met his again. Before she could close it, he called out, “Then I’ll drag you right on back home. Where you belong. With me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Breathless, she shut the door and leaned her head against it.
What the hell was going on?
First Liam was begging her to go with him and to love him, but the thing was, he didn’t have her heart. Not even a piece of it. Then she had Jordie begging her to stay and supposedly let him love her, which was completely mind-blowing. But he had broken her heart. And still had it.
Letting her head hang, all she could do was think what a freaking mess she had gotten herself into.
And not even Ben & Jerry’s could get her out of this.
Jordie was a confident man.
But even he was nervous that Kacey wouldn’t show up.
There was something about the way she’d said, “We’ll see” that kept him up most of the night. The following morning, all he could do was think over and over again about what he was going to do if she didn’t show up. He tried not to think about it, but it wasn’t working. As he spat his toothpaste out into the sink, he glanced over at her door. It was shut, and he wondered if she was taking a nap.
When he got home with Karson after training, she was on her way into her room and he hadn’t seen or heard from her since. All through training she didn’t even look at him. Not that that was a new occurrence, but he thought after the kiss they’d shared she would have been a little warmer to him.
No luck.
He was sure she made him work even harder just because she was mad or whatever she was. He wasn’t sure, but he was ready to get his AA meeting over with so he could rush to their favorite Mexican restaurant and find out his fate. It was honestly killing him, not knowing what she was thinking. In the past, she’d be putty in his hands, and he knew he didn’t deserve that now. But surely, after everything he’d said last night, she’d see that he meant business. That he wasn’t playing around. But maybe not.
Maybe she hadn’t seen the change, which meant he had to work a lot harder. He wasn’t doing something right. Or maybe he had broken her heart so badly, she wanted nothing to do with him. He knew it was a possibility, but one he really hoped hadn’t happened. Running his hands through his hair, he looked at his reflection and nodded.