I tend to obsess. I’m still completely infatuated with you.” he confesses. “But you know that already. I knew it was over between us, but now this baby changes things, I’d like to believe.”
“You can’t just stalk me like this, Weston.”
“I know…” he trails off, his beautiful eyes fixed on me. “Can I come in?”
I know this is not a terribly good idea, but as my mother said, “Passion makes you do crazy things.”
I take a step back, inviting him. I’m still not sure why he’s here. I don’t know what’s going to happen, what I’m doing, but the puppet master plays me masterfully.
My heart starts to beat fast as he closes the door behind him and I realize it’s just the two of us.
“Uh…come…in,” I stammer as I ask him, “Can I make you a cup of coffee?”
He tilts his head just ever so slightly, his gaze stuck to me. “No, Mirella. I don’t want a cup of coffee.”
My breathing is uneven, and I blow out a small breath, trying to steady it. “Are you sure?”
His gaze hasn’t left me. “Yes, Mirella. I’m positive.”
I start to feel faint, wanting to sit down, far away from him. “Why are you here?”
He pulls me to him with a soft touch of my wrist, closing the distance between us, “You know why.”
I feel a pressure build, deep below. “Weston…” He gets to me, despite the fact that I don’t want him to. He’s the puppeteer.
He pulls me in. He makes me react.
With his words.
I lift a hand, take a step, and tilt my head.
“You’re the one, Mirella. You’re the one who is right for me. I don’t want anyone else.” A warmth washes over me as he trails his finger along my collarbone, tracing the neckline of my sheer blouse.
With his touch.
The sensation travels to the back of my neck, my skin drowning in tingles. I close my eyes. My body wants to go forward but my mind tells me to stop. I swallow, trying to build up some resolve. “I can’t do this,” I tell him. “I’m waiting for Gabe. I’m waiting for him to come back to me.”
I feel his body stiffen. “But will he?” he asks.
“I know he’s moved out, but he and I are still together as far as I’m concerned. We’re still married.”
“You and me, we have a child together now,” he says so softly, I barely hear him. “Perhaps you belong with me not with him.”
I shake my head. “I don’t believe that.”
He cups my face in his hands. “Believe it,” he says quietly.
What about Bridget? What about our children?
“But what about—”
He shuts me up with a kiss. A chaste kiss. His lips are soft, tender. I pull him tighter to me and deepen the kiss, wanting so desperately to be close to him. I feel the need for him deep within, from my lips, to my heart.
But I can’t do this anymore. I need to be stronger than this. His hands hold my face softly as his tongue teases mine. I suck on his bottom lip and let go reluctantly. I grab his hands in mine and pull myself free.
“We can’t, Weston. I can’t do this.”
He fixes me with dark eyes, his breathing ragged. “I know you want this. I can feel it in the heat of your skin. I can see it in the flush of your cheeks. I can hear in the ragged edges of your voice. I can almost taste it.”
I pull my gaze away from his. He’s breaking me again.
“Just say no,” he says. “Just say the word, and I’ll back away. I’ll leave you alone.”
I can’t say the word. I want him to stay.
He pulls my mouth to his again and the sweet taste of him almost brings me to the edge.
I think about Gabe again. I know I need to be strong, bold.
I push him off me, tearing myself away. “No,” I snap. “No. We can’t do this.” My whole body trembles as I tell him, “You’ve got to stop this. You know the power you have over me. You know I’m putty in your hands. And you take advantage of it. You play me. You manipulate me with your beautiful face and your beautiful words. I want you to leave right now.”
He swallows hard. “The last thing I want to do is play you, Mirella.”
“Go!” I scream.
“Mirella…”
“Please go.”
He stares down at the floor, at the strips of oak flooring beneath his feet and he doesn’t move or say