Settling the Score (The Summer Games #1) - R.S. Grey Page 0,129
accustomed to it over the years, but seeing it through her eyes reminded me how overwhelming it could be at first. She leaned against the railing and stared out at the London Eye.
“Georgie knew I was coming,” she admitted, peering over at me from the corner of her eyes. “That’s why she came to clean up, I think.”
I stepped closer. “You called her, but not me?”
Her cheeks flushed. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm. I stepped forward and rubbed my hand up and down her back, warming her skin beneath her blouse.
“It’s a wonderful surprise,” I assured her. I was still in shock.
She tilted her head to look at me over her shoulder. For a moment we hovered there with my hand on her back and her eyes pinned on my mouth.
“Typically when one makes a grand romantic gesture like this, they get kissed,” she said wistfully.
“I still can’t believe you’re here. My lips haven’t caught up with my eyes,” I said, skimming my hand up her back so I could cup the base of her neck and tilt her mouth to mine.
“Well tell them to hurry.”
It hadn’t even been a month since she’d left me in that hotel in Rio, but as I bent down and pressed my lips to hers, it felt like years had separated us. Her hand pressed to my chest, gripping my shirt. She tugged me closer and I cradled her head, bringing her body closer to mine so I could bring her bottom lip into my mouth and show her how much I’d missed her.
She moaned against me and I pushed her back against the balcony railing. I knew the metal would bite into her back, but she didn’t care. She was lost in the kiss as much as I was.
When I finally pulled back to catch my breath, she fit herself against me so her head was tucked beneath my chin and her cheek was pressed against my chest. “I read the article today. I read it and I got on a plane an hour later.”
I smiled.
“Is that crazy?” she asked.
Crazy?
I tilted back to get a good look at her. Her lips were full, bright red, and so bloody kissable I couldn’t help leaning forward and stealing a quick peck. I knew that wasn’t what she wanted though. Her wide eyes were vulnerable and her heart was right there, splayed across her features. She was waiting for an answer, but I didn’t want to scare her away. I didn’t want to tell her the last few days without her had been miserable. I didn’t want to tell her she was the reason I suddenly felt like life was more than races and medals and records. She was the reason I wanted more and if I told her that, I was scared she’d fight it, saying a month wasn’t enough time to fall in love, but I was in love.
“You’re not crazy,” I promised. “If I hadn’t heard from you by tomorrow, I was going to fly to L.A. I already had my ticket.”
She smiled. “This is better.”
I nodded. “Much better.”
I brushed away a few strands of hair the wind had blown across her cheek. She fell into my touch, closing her eyes and inhaling the moment as much as I was. When she glanced back up at me a few seconds later, there was a playful edge to her smile.
“You know, there was one thing you left out in the article.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “You said you wanted another chance with me, but you weren’t very explicit about your feelings.”
I smiled and traced my knuckle back and forth across her cheek.
“I told you how I felt the night before you left Rio.”
She sighed. “Yes, but that was in the moment, in the magic of Rio and the games…” She sighed. “I wondered whether you would feel the same in the light of day.”
I bent down so I was at her eye level and spoke the next few words as clearly as I could. “Andie, I love you.”
She grinned. “Okay, just checking.”
I laughed. “That’s it?”
I needed to hear her say it just as badly.
“Well, I’m here,” she said, sweeping her hand across the London skyline. “Obviously that counts for something…and I do like your flat…and this view is pretty killer.”
“Andie…”
Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she glanced back up to me. “And okay, fine. Frederick Archibald, though your name is slightly pretentious, I love you.”