Eric’s revelation after weeks of being together and making mad, passionate love had shocked Annabeth. Angered her, too.
In her rage at his betrayal, she’d slapped Eric. She closed her eyes in shame, yet again, at that fact. In the whole of her life she’d never laid a hand on anyone – not ever – but she’d lost control that day and lashed out. Yeah, she’d had the right to be furious and she defended that… but she hadn’t had the right to hit Eric.
If the shoe were on the other foot? I’d have called the cops on him and he’d have damn well deserved it.
She took a deep, steadying breath. She and Eric had been talking on the phone for the past few weeks and she’d apologized for hitting him; she’d apologized roughly eight thousand times. He’d accepted, but she still needed to say sorry again. Face to face.
Of course, they had much more to talk about than just this and she knew it. Eric wanted to be with her – be with her properly, together all the time, and he wanted her to move to Texas – and she wanted that too. Or she thought she did and in theory, it was a done deal. But in reality, could she be with the man who had her dead husband’s heart? Could she be around Cam’s heart all the time – sleep next to it, feel it beating under her fingertips – and not feel his loss more keenly?
Well. Only one way to find out.
She ran a trembling hand through her long blonde hair one more time, put a bit of blush on her curved cheekbones. Her eyes were very blue in the morning sun and she tried a smile in the mirror. It came out more as a grimace.
“Hi, Eric,” she squeaked.
Urgh. No good. She looked and sounded like a woman being tortured at the dentist. Try again .
She smiled. “Hi, Eric.”
Better. Less pained, at least.
“Hi, Eric.”
“Hi.”
She spun around with a gasp. God , there he stood in the open doorway. She’d left it ajar to let in the mountain breeze and it must have blown open all the way without her noticing.
She took him in, almost devoured him. He was more handsome than she remembered, with that dark hair and those dark eyes and those wicked lips. His tall, muscular frame looked more powerful than she recalled, both safer and more dangerous. The look on his face knocked the breath right out of her: he was staring at her just as hungrily, and her whole body tensed as it reminded her what it had felt like to have this man inside of her.
“Eric,” she managed. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He stepped in to the cabin, still staring at her. “How you doing, angel?”
“I’m – I’m…” She swallowed. “I’m nervous.”
“Me too.” He set his bags on the floor. “But I’m glad to see you.”
“Oh, God.” Tears came to her eyes, suddenly and surprisingly. “Me too.”
He crossed the room now and she was in his arms before she’d even brushed the tears away. His large hand was on the back of her head, pressing it to his shoulder. His warmth washed over her, his scent flooded her senses.
“Don’t cry, Annabeth,” he murmured. “Please.”
“I won’t.” She was smiling as she spoke and Eric heard it in her voice. “I promise.”
They stood together in the sun and the wind, not saying anything more, slowly reacquainting themselves with each other’s bodies. Eric shut his eyes and just breathed her in. She was even more beautiful than he remembered her, more fragile and stronger. Her smooth, sleek curves melted in to him, just settled on in to his planes like puzzle pieces clicking together. He’d never felt rightness like he felt when he had this woman in his arms.
Christ , he’d missed her and a part of him still couldn’t believe that he was here with her again. After what he’d done to her, he was sure she’d never forgive him. Eric had come to Open Skies last summer with the intention to meet her, to just put a face and a voice to the name Annabeth Wheeler. Then he’d made love to her for the whole of one amazing, astounding night and then
In her rage at his betrayal, she’d slapped Eric. She closed her eyes in shame, yet again, at that fact. In the whole of her life she’d never laid a hand on anyone – not ever – but she’d lost control that day and lashed out. Yeah, she’d had the right to be furious and she defended that… but she hadn’t had the right to hit Eric.
If the shoe were on the other foot? I’d have called the cops on him and he’d have damn well deserved it.
She took a deep, steadying breath. She and Eric had been talking on the phone for the past few weeks and she’d apologized for hitting him; she’d apologized roughly eight thousand times. He’d accepted, but she still needed to say sorry again. Face to face.
Of course, they had much more to talk about than just this and she knew it. Eric wanted to be with her – be with her properly, together all the time, and he wanted her to move to Texas – and she wanted that too. Or she thought she did and in theory, it was a done deal. But in reality, could she be with the man who had her dead husband’s heart? Could she be around Cam’s heart all the time – sleep next to it, feel it beating under her fingertips – and not feel his loss more keenly?
Well. Only one way to find out.
She ran a trembling hand through her long blonde hair one more time, put a bit of blush on her curved cheekbones. Her eyes were very blue in the morning sun and she tried a smile in the mirror. It came out more as a grimace.
“Hi, Eric,” she squeaked.
Urgh. No good. She looked and sounded like a woman being tortured at the dentist. Try again .
She smiled. “Hi, Eric.”
Better. Less pained, at least.
“Hi, Eric.”
“Hi.”
She spun around with a gasp. God , there he stood in the open doorway. She’d left it ajar to let in the mountain breeze and it must have blown open all the way without her noticing.
She took him in, almost devoured him. He was more handsome than she remembered, with that dark hair and those dark eyes and those wicked lips. His tall, muscular frame looked more powerful than she recalled, both safer and more dangerous. The look on his face knocked the breath right out of her: he was staring at her just as hungrily, and her whole body tensed as it reminded her what it had felt like to have this man inside of her.
“Eric,” she managed. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He stepped in to the cabin, still staring at her. “How you doing, angel?”
“I’m – I’m…” She swallowed. “I’m nervous.”
“Me too.” He set his bags on the floor. “But I’m glad to see you.”
“Oh, God.” Tears came to her eyes, suddenly and surprisingly. “Me too.”
He crossed the room now and she was in his arms before she’d even brushed the tears away. His large hand was on the back of her head, pressing it to his shoulder. His warmth washed over her, his scent flooded her senses.
“Don’t cry, Annabeth,” he murmured. “Please.”
“I won’t.” She was smiling as she spoke and Eric heard it in her voice. “I promise.”
They stood together in the sun and the wind, not saying anything more, slowly reacquainting themselves with each other’s bodies. Eric shut his eyes and just breathed her in. She was even more beautiful than he remembered her, more fragile and stronger. Her smooth, sleek curves melted in to him, just settled on in to his planes like puzzle pieces clicking together. He’d never felt rightness like he felt when he had this woman in his arms.
Christ , he’d missed her and a part of him still couldn’t believe that he was here with her again. After what he’d done to her, he was sure she’d never forgive him. Eric had come to Open Skies last summer with the intention to meet her, to just put a face and a voice to the name Annabeth Wheeler. Then he’d made love to her for the whole of one amazing, astounding night and then
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