Page 75 of Puck Me Twice
“Oh?” I bite the inside of my cheek, taking in his strong, broad shoulders and the sharp angle of his jaw.
“I wasn’t sure if…” He clears his throat. “I would not want to pressure you.”
“You aren’t.” If anything, I’m the one pushing him.
“Are you… ready?” His face is pained.
It’s time for me to lay my cards on the table.
“I’m not in love with you,” I finally say. “I don’t know if I ever will be. I want to be, but that’s not the same thing. I don’t have feelings for anyone else, and I’m not interested in pursuing anyone else. I want you.”
The naked desire in his eyes makes me want to crawl under the table and hide away. Still, I persevere.
“I want to be in a healthy place where I can feel my feelings and be confident in them,” I tell him. “I’m not there yet. I’m working on getting there. After all these years… I have closure.”
He presses his lips together. “Andrews.”
“And me.”
I believed I was unlovable. That’s why Robby left me when we were talking about forever.
I believed I was unworthy of love. That was why my parents split up and started new families without me.
I believed I was incapable of love. That’s why I stuck to one-night stands and quick flings rather than expose my heart.
“I’m starting to come around to the idea that maybe I was wrong about some core fundamental thoughts.” Okay, a lot of them. “It’s going to take some time to rewire my brain and think differently.”
Taking a breath, I meet his gaze steadily.
“But I’m willing to put in the work. It’s worth doing—for you, for us.”
His breath catches. “Vanessa—”
“Take me home, Sven,” I tell him. “Take me to your bed and love me, so that I can learn to love you, too.”
He gets out of his chair and walks around to my side, ducking down. He cups my cheek in his hand and kisses me sweetly.
“As you wish,” he murmurs, pulling away.
Briskly, he walks across the restaurant, and I see him speak in hushed tones with the waiter before he pulls out his wallet. Handing the waiter several bills, Sven turns on his heel and strides toward me. He cuts an impressive figure as he glides through the restaurant as easily as if he were on skates.
Tonight, he's wearing a dark blue three-piece suit with a yellow tie that's nearly gold, or maybe that's just the golden flecks in his green eyes. His long hair is loose to his shoulders, giving real-life Viking vibes. There’s a reason I read so much historical Viking romance…
And he’s mine.
He offers his hand and I take it, rising immediately from my seat. When I reach for my coat, it’s to find he’s holding it, ready to help me. When my arms are in the sleeves, he pulls the coat over my shoulders and around to my front, using the lapels to tug me forward.
Leaning down, he brushes his lips across mine, the barest whisper of a kiss that leaves me wanting more.
The valet brings the car around and Sven helps me in before jogging around to the driver’s side. After he shifts the car into gear, he takes my hand again, lacing our fingers together over the console.
His Beacon Hill townhouse looks the same, quiet and unassuming with flower baskets beneath the windows. Even in the cool winter weather, the plants are thriving. Inside, the stark contrast of the black floors and white walls with the greenery make the place feel so much more welcoming than they did the last time I was here.
“Where’s Rupert?” I ask as Sven takes my coat, hanging it in the closet beside his.
He nods toward a giant birdcage in the corner, with a sheet drawn over it. “She goes to sleep around sundown. Don’t worry, she’ll be awake early in the morning.”
“I can’t wait to meet her. Properly,” I add. “I don’t know that I made the best impression last time.”
