coffee table. “Zoey’s on her way up.”
Archer rose. “And that’s our cue to leave.”
Rhys threw back the shot, appreciating the warmth in his veins, the lessening of the tension in his chest. “Thanks for dropping by and being a sounding board.”
Hunt slapped Rhys on the back. “We’ve got you, buddy. You know that.”
Yeah, Rhys did.
They said their goodbyes after that, and Rhys stayed on the patio furniture and watched them leave through the tall windows of his condo. Before Archer headed out the front door, he opened it a little wider, and Zoey entered. She wore jeans and a dark-green blouse, the same color as the lingerie she’d worn the first night he met her. She exchanged words with Archer and a short laugh, then her gaze flicked to the windows. She nodded at Archer before she headed toward the patio doors.
The second she stepped outside, Rhys knew he was going to hate what came out of her mouth.
“Hey.”
The single word had never sounded so sad.
He remained rooted to the couch as she slowly walked toward him, her hair fluttering in the warm breeze. Christ, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
She stopped in front of him, regret in her gaze. “I—”
“Need to move home,” he finished for her, his voice barely controlled. He wanted to beg her to stay. To not leave him. But New York City was toxic to her, and he couldn’t be a part of the problem. He’d seen Katherine fade away into nothing. This environment, maybe seeing Jake at functions she’d come to with Rhys, would do just that to her. He couldn’t watch her fade away. Zoey needed to flourish.
Something he could see written all over her face when she said in a small voice, “This is a really confusing thing because I don’t really want to leave. There’s Hazel and Elise, and…you.”
He rose, moving close, drawn to her. All along, the plan had been for her to go, but now, the plan was blown to shit. Because he knew one thing for certain: her heart was meant for him. “You deserve to go home and start over, Zoey.”
She took a step forward, bringing herself even closer. “I didn’t expect to feel like this.”
The warm breeze fluttered around them as he cupped her face. “Feel like what?”
“I don’t want to leave you,” she said so easily.
That’s what caught him up too. Things between them were too easy. Too real. Too right. “I never expected this either. Never expected I would want you to stay.”
She gave a lopsided smile. “And yet here we are.”
He smiled gently, not wanting to put his own wants on her. “But this also isn’t goodbye either, just like I’m sure it’s not goodbye with Hazel and Elise. You can visit, can you not?”
“Yes, I can visit.”
But it won’t be enough echoed in the space between them.
She added, “And you can come see me, too.”
“Easily done,” he agreed. But I’ll never want to leave.
Every word he spoke felt odd coming from his mouth. He wanted her here. With him. To see every day. To kiss. To make love to. To laugh with. To explore. To enjoy. Anything else felt…wrong.
She tipped her head back, hitting him with those warm, affectionate eyes. Their gazes held for a beat. “I won’t ever forget what you did for me, Rhys.”
He gathered her in his arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, feeling like the moment she left him tonight, she’d take his heart with her. And with that realization, Rhys knew Archer was right. No matter what, Rhys had to fight for her. “I will never forget you either, Zoey.”
Desperate to hold onto her for as long as he could, he dropped his mouth to hers. Her lips molded to his in a gentle kiss, but when he angled her head and deepened his embrace, he knew everything had changed. That he had changed, and she was the reason for it.
Needing to get closer to her, he gathered her in his arms and brought her inside, into his bedroom, laying her out on his king-size bed. He knew they weren’t done. Not even close. He knew that, even if she walked away, he’d chase her. And with a slight amusement, he understood what he should have known all along: he still wasn’t done breaking rules for Zoey.
He hovered over her, the lights from the skyscrapers outside his window casting a warm glow across her face. She leaned her head