“I was in my bedroom, Kate. With you in my arms.”
She went utterly still, her back to him, and he knew she remembered. He could feel it in the air, burning between them.
But she didn’t turn. Instead, she started down the path that led to the Gage mansion. Garrett fell into step beside her.
“Kay, I need to talk to you,” he said.
“If it’s to tell me about your wedding, I already know. Congratulations,” she said.
He cocked a brow. “Then maybe you can tell me the details, since apparently you know more about it than I do? Dammit, I need to talk to you somewhere private.”
He grabbed her elbow to halt her, but she immediately yanked it free. “I need to talk to you, too, but I’m not doing it here. Nor am I doing it today.”
Simmering with frustration, he followed her again,. “Well, I am. So just listen to me.”
Stopping her, he forced her to turn and gazed into those accusing blue eyes, trying to find the words to begin the wrenching of his damned black soul. “I don’t know what happened to me the other day, Katie....What you told me left me so damn winded, I swear I didn’t know where to begin....”
Her hands flew to her ears. “Not here, please, please, not here!”
He pulled her arms down, scowling. “I know I hurt you, I know you don’t want me to apologize, but I need to say I am sorry. I am sorry for how things have gone down and for hurting you. I’m sorry for how it happened, Katie. I wish I’d done it differently. If I could take it back, I would, if only to get you to stop looking at me like you are just now.”
She whipped around to face him, her eyes flashing in fury. “You wish to take the night back, that’s what you wish? Oh, you’re something special, do you know that? You’re something else. I can’t even believe I let you put your filthy paws on me, you no-good—”
“Goddamn it, I really didn’t want to do it this way, Kay. But you’re giving me no choice!” Jaw clamped, he grabbed her and swept her into his arms and stalked across the gardens toward the house.
“Wha—” The tulle train fell inch by inch from her grasp and trailed a path behind them as she kicked and squirmed and hit his chest. “Garrett, stop! Put me down! What are you doing?”
He kicked the front doors open and carried her up the stairs, his jaw like steel, his hands blatantly gripping her buttocks. “Something I should’ve done a long, long time ago.”
Kate froze for a second, and then struggled with more effort. “Put me down!” she screeched.
He squeezed her bottom as he charged down the hall and into his old bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. “I’m not apologizing for the night I made love to you. Dammit, Kate, I’m apologizing for being responsible for your father’s death!”
He put her down on the bench at the foot of his old bed and stepped back so she didn’t kick him in the groin.
She went utterly still, but her chest heaved up and down, and damned if that wasn’t an attractive sight.
He expelled a long breath and continued. “Kate, I’m not going to apologize for the time you were mine. I won’t. I apologized once, but I didn’t mean it. I don’t regret a second of that time with you. Except not being more careful with you and more than anything, for not doing it sooner.”
She sat there, stunned and panting, and Garrett was only just beginning. His necktie was almost choking him as all his emotions surfaced like a hurricane gathering force.
“I apologize for not listening to your father that night, Kate. For being stupid and not listening—”
“Don’t!” she pleaded, raising her palms. “Garrett, please don’t apologize for that. Or for anything. Please stop apologizing to me. It was an accident. And it was his duty. My father would have...gladly died for you, for any Gage, for any reason. He was passionate about his job, and he was as passionate about you boys as if you were his children. He’d have done it over and over for you, Garrett. He loved you and I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
Her words were like a salve. They might never absolve him, but they appeased him, tamed the dark regret inside him. And stoked the little flickering flame of new hope there.
“You do love me, don’t you, Freckles?”
She met his gaze in silence. My God, her face. The blush spread everywhere, it seemed, and Garrett trembled with the urge to undress her and see that flush crawl along her skin.
When she didn’t say a word, neither affirming nor denying it, he knelt.
* * *
Kate’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as Garrett Gage knelt at her feet.
“You asked me what I wanted from you—Kate, I want everything. The works. Yes, I want kids, I want to be your husband. I know I robbed you of a real family, and I want to give you one. I want to be the father of your children...not because I promised I would take care of you. Because I’m crazy-sick in love with you.”