Page 120 of Off the Edge

“Sorry,” he chuckled. “I thought you’d be pleased to see me.”

“I am . . . God, I just hate you right now. I’m texting you like you’re in the UK, and you’re fucking outside?”

“Hello to you too.”

“God.” I ran my trembling hand through my hair and sat down hard.

He unbuttoned his coat, but kept it on, and took the seat. “May I?” he asked, nodding at the slices of pizza left.

“Yeah, it’s cold, though.”

“I’ve been traveling for a whole day and barely eaten. Cold pizza is fine.”

I stared at him as he ate, my grin hurting my face. He hadn’t changed. It had only been a month, but it felt like longer. His hair may have gotten slightly longer. I was never going to get tired of just looking at his face. He was here, he was really here . . . Damn. Wait, was that an earring? Hasegawa had a piercing?!

“Hey, you got an earring!”

“I did.” His lips twitched. “Do you like it?” He turned his head and showed me the little stud. It wasn’t much, nothing extravagant. This was Hasegawa, after all. But he’d chosen that, and damn, I loved to see his deeply hidden, playful side making an appearance.

“You’re such a rebel,” I laughed. “I love it, Ren. It suits you.”

The smallest of smiles touched his lips. “I’m glad.”

“How’d you find me?”

“When you weren’t at your home address, I deduced where you might be.”

“Why didn’t you just text me? I’d have picked you up from the airport.”

His lips flirted with more of that smile, turning into a tease. That was new. “Then it wouldn’t have been a surprise.”

“Yeah, it would, but I could have taken you out for dinner or something. Now you’re eating cold pizza in this back yard.”

“I like this back yard.”

Yeah, he did. I could tell from his smile and the way he’d devoured the pizza in four bites.

I couldn’t stop staring, and had my chin propped in my palm. He’d given up trying to tame the little lick of hair that fell over his eyes, and just let it hang loose. He was as gorgeous as I’d always thought him to be, more now he’d learned to loosen up.

“I missed you,” I admitted.

“I’m sorry, I meant to have things organized a lot quicker than this.”

“What are you organizing?” Please say you’re staying for a while. I’d take however long he had, but damn, I wanted it to be weeks, not days.

He wiped his hands on a napkin. “I have a surprise for you.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Is it a pony?”

“No,” He laughed. “Why would it be a horse—never mind. Are you finished? I paid your tab.”

“You paid my pizza tab? So romantic.”

We stood and headed outside together, then walked along the sidewalk. I still hadn’t gotten over the fact he was here, beside me. I’d gone from wondering when I’d see him again, to having him so close I could reach out and touch him.

“Do you like horses?” he asked.

“Uh . . . they don’t like me.”