Halo’s eyes opened and locked on mine, and then he shook his head. “It’s okay. I—”
“It’s not okay,” I said. “The way I acted? The things I said? None of that is okay, Angel. And none of it was true. I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m doing here. But I’m sorry I hurt you. That was—is—the last thing I ever want to do.”
Halo shifted back a fraction to look down at me, his eyes narrowed, his lower lip swollen, and I couldn’t help but reach up and brush my thumb across it.
“We both did and said things we shouldn’t have.” Halo took in a breath, and then let it out on a rush. “Things we didn’t mean. But you know what the best part about fighting with someone you love is?”
“No—I’m new at this, remember? Don’t have a clue.”
When Halo laughed, I tightened my hold on him. “The best part is, unless it’s about something really serious, I’ll still be there when you cool down. Once you’ve thought about things and realized you were wrong and that I’m the best fucking thing that ever happened to you.”
A boom of laughter left me at that. “Ah, so that’s how this works, huh? I’m forever going to fuck up and you will forever forgive me.”
Halo pursed his lips as though pretending to think it over, but before he could say a word, I shifted and tumbled him back into the seat beside me so I could hover over him.
“I love you,” I said again, this time just for him, just to him, and because I wanted to.
“I love you too.” Halo ran his fingers down my cheek to my jaw as I shook my head, still trying to understand the emotions bombarding me as I stared into those beautiful eyes of his. But before I could offer any kind of response, the car drew to a stop and I heard the driver announce our arrival.
We reluctantly parted and climbed out of the car, and with our fingers still interlaced, we headed inside to my private elevator and took the trip upstairs in silence. Our I love yous in the back of the car surrounded us in a moment of contented bliss, but when the elevator reached the top floor, and the doors parted, Halo was back in my arms.
His mouth fused with mine and his hands were in my hair, as I walked him out of the elevator and into the place that had felt so vast and empty these past few days without him. A moan left one of us, or maybe both, as fingers then went for each other’s jackets. We shoved them off one another, and as they hit the floor, we each went for the other’s shirt. We grappled with material and buttons in a clumsy attempt to get closer, and when several went flying and pinged on the hardwood floor, I chuckled against Halo’s lips and looked down at my ripped-open shirt.
“Geez, Angel. You in a rush or something?”
Halo swiped his tongue over his lip as he smoothed his palms up my naked torso, and then he wrapped his arms around my neck. “It’s been a long four days.”
I grabbed hold of his ass and pulled him flush against me. “Fuck yes, it has,” I said as I lowered my head and nuzzled my nose into the golden curls by his ear. “Missed you so damn much.”
“Mmm.” Halo angled his head to the side. “Me too.”
“I was so fucking miserable. Stayed in bed all week with a shirt you left here just so I wouldn’t forget the way you smelled,” I admitted, and when Halo raised his arms and drew his black shirt off, I took it from him, brought it to my nose, and inhaled.
“Viper?” Halo reached out and gently pulled my hands away, before taking his shirt and tossing it on the floor. “You don’t need that anymore. I’m here. Take me to your bed. I miss being in it with you.”
I held my hand out to him, and as Halo slid his palm into mine, the initial chaos that had accompanied our whirlwind of emotions settled, and a new feeling began to take its place. One that warmed me from the inside out as I tightened my grip around his and quietly led him back into my bedroom and into my heart.
Three
Halo
AS VIPER SHUT the door to his bedroom, he leaned back against it and pulled me in front of him. He arched his hips toward me, and his dark eyes were hungrier than I’d ever seen them, but Viper didn’t attack like I’d expected him to. Instead, he brought our interlaced hands up to his mouth and pressed a kiss on my knuckles before placing my hand over his bare chest, covering it with his. Then he led us in a slow slide down, over the hard planes of his body.