"What did she have to say now?" She had never had a chance with Colt and wouldn't with Peter either. Jennifer had been in his life for too long. "She clearly wanted you."
“Jennifer is not important to me.” He reached out to brush his hands on hers, but she pulled away as he said, "I didn't know anyone like you. Belle, you stole my breath away."
She stiffened. If she relaxed, he could steal her heart and make her forget. It was time to end this one-on-one. She refused to stare into his sexy brown eyes because she knew she'd lose her nerve. "Well, you had your chance to explain everything, but you chose silence. And thank you."
He stepped closer. "For what?"
She glanced up into his eyes, and her arms itched to wrap herself around him. Her lips tingled to kiss him, but she couldn't. She backed away.
"For getting me to believe that I could date and be happy, even if it's with someone else."
"Let me finish?"
"No."
He inched closer and adrenaline rushed through her. She wanted to give herself to him and forget everything else. She picked up an empty glass from the side table near the couch and brought it to the kitchen to get away from him.
He followed her and asked, "Can we just sit and talk? I won't take long."
Hold me and never let me go. She'd never say that. She couldn't. Her life was never going to be here with him. She'd get back to work and tell her heart to stop aching. Love wasn't part of her life. It was better for both of them. He deserved a full life too and that couldn't be her.
"Fine, but then I should ask you to leave. I need to pack."
They returned near the couch. Then he ran his hand down her arm. Every morsel of her skin that he touched grew goose bumps. "Belle, there is something I want to say."
The fluttering in her stomach had to be ignored. She clenched her jaw and tilted her body away from him. "Peter, if it's about us, then it's better we don't say anything else. There is no ‘us.’"
He didn't move. He didn't even blink. He swallowed, though, and then he said, "Belle, I can't do that. The thing is that I love you."
Her knees felt weak. It had to be the exhaustion. She shook her head no. That wasn't possible.
"This is what you discovered with Jennifer? It wasn't that you wanted her in your life."
"Absolutely not." He stood taller but otherwise didn't move. "Belle, I love you more than I love anyone else in the world."
No, no, no. The rest of the world seemed to fade away as she stared at him. She held her body in place despite how she ached to hold him. Then she stepped into the entryway.
"Then you'll want me to be free and happy, so you'll go now."
He placed his hands in his pockets and nodded his head. "If that's what you want."
"For now." She opened the door to the hallway. "It is."
He placed his hands on hers as she held the door.
She couldn't handle this, so she said, "Goodbye."
"I won't shake your hand."
He leaned in as he passed her and gave her cheek a light kiss. Her lips begged for his kiss on her lips, but she couldn't let herself. Tears threatened to fall again.
He then said, "There" as he kissed her cheek.
No words came out of her mouth.
He stepped into the hallway, but as she was closing it, he placed his hand on the door. "If you change your mind, I'll be waiting for you."
There was no way he'd wait for her. That was silly. She shook her head. "It can't work." Then she closed the door in his face.
They were done. She'd be miserable now, but it was the right thing to do.
Chapter Twenty Six
Snowflakes brushed against her nose as she walked to her office on her first day back to work. Her apartment was now clean as a whistle as sleeping wasn’t possible for her. Now it was time to go, but everything about her life felt empty.
In Miami, the sunshine had been warm and inviting. She closed her eyes and imagined Peter again.
Someone threw snow at her feet, and she opened her eyes to see the city cleaners hard at work trying to keep the roads clear. She hugged herself. This was hard.
She threw the door to work open, and no one greeted her. She proceeded to the elevator and hit the button to her office floor.
The secretary at the front desk nodded, but she spoke to someone on the phone.
Belle went to her office and saw the huge bouquet of flowers. She grabbed the card and read Peter's note, Thinking of you, always yours. Peter Morgan.
She picked up her phone to call him, but then froze. She stared at the clock. It was New Year's Eve. He was at his party. The flutters inside her grew, outweighing the emptiness as she thought she'd tell him she loved him too.
She had a chance with him.
This job offered a big office with no one in her life. This wasn't the best choice. She turned on her heels, flung open her door, and almost ran into the senior partner.
He said, "We're so happy to have you back."
Peter loved her. Leaving him for this cold place was the stupidest thing she had ever done. She needed to throw her arms around him and be willing to change.
"I'm not staying. I have a plane to catch."
Her boss nodded, but then asked, "Why? Are you needed for a deposition or something?"
She'd not lose out on love a second time because she had to work. Her shoulders felt surprisingly light as she said, "No. Consider this my verbal two weeks notice. I quit."
She had clearly surprised him. Her boss's voice had a higher pitch as he said, "You quit? Why? We can offer you a substantial pay increase."
She threw her arms around him and hugged him. This was the last time she'd walk in this office. "Thank you, but I can't accept. I have to take a chance on love and see where this leads."
She flung open the door. Her boss's voice behind her said, "I don't understand."
She grabbed her pocketbook and raised one of her shoulders. "Goodbye. Take care of yourself."
She flew out the door and raced home to get the picture of her mother and then to the airport. If Peter loved her, then it had to be enough. She'd move. She'd change. There was no other option.
The taxi had to call the house for permission to drive past the street. As she rounded the corner, her heart hammered. She had to see his face the moment she arrived. If he loved her, she wanted to see it for herself.
She shook her head no. "Let me out."
The driver waited for her to pay him and then took off. She straightened her knee-length dress. The evening sky in Miami was warm. She wore her white and red work dress as she hadn't wanted to stop to buy a gown. As she stepped onto the lawn, she squirmed in her shoes. Elegantly dressed people in ball gowns lingered on the lawn. Her slightly scuffed work shoes weren't up to snuff.
She kept her head level and marched to the front door. There was no time for fear, not now. She'd tell him that she loved him. She had to. This was it.
She went to knock on the door, but the maid threw it open and said, "Ms. Jordan, you're here."
"Caro, right?"
"Yes, ma'am. Mr. Morgan has been miserable without you."