you so you wouldn’t lose your contract—”
“I don’t give a shit about my contract!”
“Your sister—”
“I have enough set aside in trust funds. When you grow up poor, you learn to save for a rainy day. Trust me, I’ve been responsible with my money. Do I love my career? Yes. Do I love the game? Yes. But I love you more!” My jaw ticked as I struggled to reign in my emotions. “I love you more, Savannah, and you didn’t even let me fight for you. You and your dad locked me out of his office and discussed our relationship without me. Then you came out and…” My words failed at the memory of the way she’d crushed my soul between her fingers like I was nothing more than a gnat.
“I know,” she whispered as if the memory haunted her, too. “I wanted to protect you.”
“Protect me? I knew the risks of being with you. I knew the consequences, and I wanted you anyway. I didn’t need your protection, Savannah, I needed you.” My throat tightened.
She sucked in a breath. “Needed…as in past tense?” Her voice trembled on those last two words.
“Savannah, I—”
“No, no, no.” She came around the island, and I didn’t have the willpower to move, especially when she ducked under my arm so she stood between them against the island. Her hands cradled my face, and it wasn’t pain, I saw in her eyes—it was fear. “I love you, Hendrix. You didn’t believe me in the boathouse, and I know why. I get it, but I need you to know that now. I love you, and I know I didn’t say it when you needed to hear it, when you were brave enough to say it first, but I do. I love you. Please tell me I didn’t blow my chance—”
I stopped her words with my mouth, kissing her gently, keeping my tongue behind my teeth and letting my lips rest against hers for a heartbeat, then two.
“I didn’t come here for you to apologize.” I leaned my forehead against hers and kept my hands firmly on the counter.
“Why did you come here?” There it was, that little spark of hope that reflected in the gold flecks in her eyes.
“Because I’m in love with you, Savannah. I’m pretty sure you could have crushed my heart, danced on it, hooked up with fourteen other guys, trashed me on national television, and I’d still love you. I can’t stop. Trust, me, I tried.”
She blinked. “I would never trash you on national television.”
“But the guys are a possibility?” A corner of my mouth lifted because I knew there was no way. I didn’t need London to confirm, or even Savannah. There hadn’t been anyone else for her just the same as there hadn’t been for me.
“Well, I mean…” She gave me a look of mock innocence and batted her lashes.
“There hasn’t been anyone for you since me,” I said with full confidence. “And even if there had, I’d still love you.”
“How are you so certain?” She cocked a brow at me in a clear challenge.
“About the love? You did your worst, and I’m still here at your door, activating the Charleston professional sports family calling tree to get to you.” I leaned forward slightly, using my hips to pin her to the island.
Her breath caught.
Fuck, we were still electric.
“And how are you so certain about the guys?” Her hands drifted to my neck.
“I made you a promise once.” My voice dropped as I held her gaze. “I told you I’d ruin you for every man you even thought about touching after me, and I followed through. Does it suck that the best of your life was your first? Maybe. But you’re not the kind of woman who needs a comparison. You’ve always been smart enough to know what you have.”
“And do I?” She swiped her tongue over her lower lip, and I bit back a groan. “Do I have you? You’ve never been the man to wait around on a woman to pull her head out of her ass.”
“You tell me.” I grinned and lifted her to the counter so our eyes were level. “Am I still playing the field? Was I out every night chasing the first woman who caught my eye?”
“No.” She shook her head as her fingernails lightly scraped the back of my head. “Because I ruined you, too, didn’t I?” She failed to contain a smile. “Does it suck that the best of your life was also