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