"It's been over a week and I still haven't seen her. How the hell is she hiding?" I ask Tag as he helps me scour Silk, but still no sign of Raya.
"Maybe all your mounds of roses scared her. You've sent bouquet after bouquet. That's a little creepy, dude. Just saying," he says while shrugging, not being helpful at all.
"Are you sure she's still working here?" I ask him, considering he and Dane are close.
The second I found out, I had Tag call and confirm it.
"Yeah, but Dane is sick of you loading his place up with flowers. Raya won't take them home. Maybe it's time—"
"Don't finish that sentence," I growl, holding my hand up.
Just before he argues, I see a familiar body walking by, her hair tosses over her shoulder, and a forced smile on her face as she makes her way to the bar.
"She's here," I say in a breath, blinking rapidly to make sure I'm not going delirious.
"Then I guess you should follow her. Looks like she's taking a break."
I don't need another push. I take off back out the front doors, and head to the back of the building. When I round the corner, I see her. Her back is to me as she stares out over the ocean, seeming lost in thought. And it takes more strength than I care to admit not to launch myself at her.
I wrap my arms around her waist, kiss her neck, and begin nuzzling her, feeling the hole inside me start to heal with just a little touch. Damn, she smells so good. Her soft, dark hair grazes my skin, and her body goes stiff.
"I've missed you," I whisper, holding back the storm that has come close to destroying me so many times since I lost her.
She tries pulling away, but I hold her to me, refusing to lose her after working so hard to find her. I use her weakness against her when I start kissing a trail from her earlobe to her jaw.
"I'm sorry, Raya. I'm so fucking sorry. Please forgive me. Come back," I murmur gently, praying that's enough.
She whimpers, and I know I've made her cry. I hope those are good, happy tears.
"Kade, you don't really want me back. You're confused because I saved your vineyard," she says with emotion rattling her voice. No. Damn it. No.
"No the hell I'm not. Raya, I've wanted you back since you walked out. I'm a jerk. I'm an idiot. I'm every form of stupid there is. I made the biggest mistake of my life. Please, please come back. Let me make it up to you."
She wiggles against me as I hold her. I'm not above begging. I finally spin her around so that she's facing me, and my chest tightens when I see the tears I've only heard. But those tears give me hope, because she wouldn't be crying if this wasn't hard for her.
"Kade," she says softly, trembling in my arms. "You don't... you don't want to be with me. I'm a conman's daughter. Your business, your dreams, and your name can't be tainted by a girl—"
Fuck this.
I interrupt her by kissing her hard, refusing to let her spit out reasons we can't be together, especially nonsensical ones. I love her too much to hear her tell me she's not good enough. I can't believe she thinks she's not good enough for me, considering what an absolute idiot I've been.
I get greedy and too confident when I feel her melting ever so slightly against me, so I push my tongue in to seduce her, hoping it's enough. But I'm left in a haze of wonder as I taste her and pour too much into the kiss, trying to tell her everything I've felt for these past several weeks without words.
Unfortunately, I get too swept up in the kiss, and she catches me off balance, forcing me off her with more power than I gave her credit for having. She's at the door before I steady myself, and the resolve in her eyes isn't what I want to see.
"Just go home, Kade. Please leave me alone."
She takes off running, and I follow through the backdoor, barging past the staff as Raya disappears into the club. Just as I rush in, I'm slammed into from the side, and someone's hands are holding me steady.
I watch in panic as my one chance slips through my fingers, and then I turn to snarl at... what the hell? Dane Sterling?
"What the hell are you doing?" I ask, cursing myself for not going to the gym lately when he holds me back without help.
"Keeping you from chasing around my waitress."
"She's not your anything," I spit, struggling to break free. "Let me the fuck go. If she runs now, it could take me weeks to catch her again."
He rolls his eyes, not releasing his hold.