I spotted what without a doubt were the facilities. And when we entered the parking lot I told him, “Stop the car.” I pulled more money than I’d promised him out of my wallet and clasped it to his shoulder.
“Sir, you can’t—”
Oh, but I could. I flung open the car door and ran the few yards to the entrance of what had to be the offices. I dashed through the glass doors, and there she was. Adalyn, my Adalyn. She was right there, like I’d asked, with her phone at her ear and an expression of concern. I realized I hadn’t hung up.
Our eyes met across the big hall.
Her lips wobbled for an instant. And then, she was on the move.
Fuck. Not once in my life had I felt an urgency this powerful, this strong, to wrap my arms around someone gunning in my direction at that speed.
Adalyn landed against my chest, and I brought her to me, into me, everything finally quieting down. The riot clattering in my head, the storm of emotion that had been gathering in my chest. The world. Nothing around me mattered except her.
“This is where I meant,” she said against my neck. “It’s you, Cameron. I was coming back to you.”
My hand closed around the back of her head, my fingers slipping into her hair. I tugged so she would look at me. “I’m so goddamn sorry. Tell me you forgive me, please.” I needed to hear it. I needed to make sure. “Tell me you’ll give me the chance to show you that I trust you and only want what’s best for you. Don’t let this go before I’ve gotten the chance to show you how good we can be together.”
She smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. “Only if you tell me the words. The ones you didn’t want to say.”
I swallowed. Then, slowly, almost as if I was scared she would disappear, I closed the distance between our mouths, taking her lips with every single ounce of who I was. I told her with everything I had.
And only when I knew she’d felt them, I said, “Because I fucking love you.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “Because I’m crazy about you and I—fuck, Adalyn. I’ll buy the Flames for you if that’s what you want. I’ll sit back and watch you conquer the world. I don’t know how to express how much I care and want you. I’ve given myself to you, but if that’s not enough then I’ll do anything—”
“I fucking love you, too, Cameron Caldani,” she whispered against my lips. “And I only need you.”
Before I was ready, she pulled away, taking something out of her shirt. My ring dangled off the chain around her neck, and I knew then that I’d marry this woman one day. I’d give her the cats, the babies, a farm of terrifying baby goats if she wanted one. I’d do anything in my power to get that chance. I knew with every ounce of who I was.
“There’s so much I need to tell you,” she said, a shadow crossing her expression. “Starting with how wrong I was about pushing you away and thinking you didn’t have my best interest at heart but—” She swallowed. “Wait. Oh my God. Did we win? Will the girls forgive me?”
We. That we did me in.
I took her mouth again, tasted her on my tongue. I knew she wanted the answer, but I wanted her. And I was selfish enough to take it when I could. We came up for air, her lips swollen, and her eyes glazed. “The girls will come around, and the Green Warriors are the winners of the Six Hills Little League. The story will be all over the local press tomorrow. County and state.” Her eyes widened. “I called them myself. When they heard who I was—”
Adalyn mouth parted. “You did what?”
A throat was cleared, making us turn.
A woman was looking at us with a huge smile. Fuck. How long had she been there? “Sorry to interrupt, that was fire and I will surely be fantasizing about it more than I should probably admit, but…” Her eyes pointed to her right.
A blond man was walking—sauntering, really—through a barrier, smirking at a wide-eyed security guy who was avoiding my gaze. Fuck, how many people had just watched me eat my woman’s face? I guessed I didn’t care.
The man spotted us, and I felt Adalyn tense.
That was the only indication I needed to know who that was.
I released the woman tucked into my chest and strode in his direction, ignoring the twin gasps of surprise behind me. “David?” I asked when I reached him.
The wanker smiled. He smiled. “Hi—”
I grabbed him by the collar. Gave him a little tug. The guy went white as a sheet. I was being a Neanderthal. I knew that. This wasn’t right. But I couldn’t help myself. “Thank you,” I told him. Or gritted between my lips. “Somehow, I have your stupidity to thank for changing my life.”