Her pulse went supersonic then. What did he want? The yearning to know was so severe she began to shake and suddenly she was terrified he’d have left already. If he had then she’d have to gather the strength to find him again and right now she didn’t know if her central nervous system could cope.
The second Olly pulled over she escaped the car and hurried towards the stairwell, convincing herself that of course he’d have gone already. It was ages since Olly had left him. She stared down at each step as she raced up the two flights and got herself breathless and most definitely prepared for the worst. So when she almost tripped over the man sitting on the top step she was shocked all over again.
‘Oh!’ She halted on the landing just past him and spun back to face him.
He’d remained seated, half leaning against the cold concrete wall. He wasn’t in a suit but jeans and tee and while he’d shaved there were shadows in his face—beneath his eyes, his cheekbones—making his classically perfect features more prominent. It had only been a couple of days yet he’d developed a stark edge that made her poor heart ache even more.
‘Darcie?’ He rose to his feet in a swift movement, and just as he was about to step towards her he suddenly froze.
‘What are you doing here?’ She didn’t recognise her own voice.
‘Waiting for you.’
Yes, but why?
She bit her lip. She needed to say her own thing first. She needed to explain why she’d pushed away the other day. She needed to tell him—
‘I had to see you,’ he said, filling the gap. ‘I’m sorry.’
The last thing she ever wanted was for him to apologise for wanting to see her.
He looked down and ran his hand through his hair. ‘I know you wanted space but—’
‘I’ve just been to the office,’ she blurted.
His gaze shot back to her.
‘I went to see you.’
Elias’s blood seemed to be rushing everywhere except where he needed it. His muscles were ready to work but his brain was AWOL. He tried to slow down. She’d gone to see him at the office? Why had she done that? He gazed into her beautiful eyes and what he saw within them made the most fragile tendrils of hope unfurl.
‘Olly drove me back.’ Her eyes filled as her voice weakened. ‘I’m glad you’re still here.’
Darcie had tried to findhim. Something fierce and powerful flooded his system.Right thing. This was the right thing to have done. Seeing her—being near her—was so very right. But before he could touch her—and he wanted that more than his next breath—he had to tell herwhy. To explain, not assume. To be brave enough to be vulnerable.
‘I wasn’t leaving till I’d seen you.’ He’d been willing to wait for as long as it took.
Her glance skittered away from him, then back. ‘It’s damp and hard in the stairwell.’
It was, but he didn’t give a damn. The real problem was now that all the words, all the things he’d thought he’d say, had evaporated in this searing emotion of seeing her again. Of knowing she’d sought him out. There was only one thing he wanted, one thing he could say.
‘Darcie,’ he breathed. ‘Come home.’
She just stared at him—frozen—but at least not fleeing. He watched her remain locked so tightly wound, so very still. And then twin tears spilled from her eyes. It wrecked him completely.
‘Please.’ He stepped towards her; he couldn’t not. ‘I miss you. It’s our home. You’re my wife, Darcie. For real. And I love you.’
Her lips parted but still she didn’t say anything.
‘Darcie...’ He huffed out a breath. ‘I didn’t know how to deal with everything I was feeling and I screwed up.’
‘What did you say?’
‘That I didn’t know—’
‘Before that.’
He paused and felt that kick in his heart. ‘That I love you.’