“And I realized that was how it was always going to be. He’ll ask me something and I’ll say yes because I really don’t want to be alone and I’ll wind up married to him and have a million babies and I’ll keep living every day comparing him to Killian and he’ll fail. He will always fail because I love Killian and I will never love Randy and—”

The phone disappeared out of her hand before she could finish her meltdown. The absence of it had her spinning on her heels and coming face to face with the very last man she ever expected to see again. Her heart skyrocketed even as her stomach dropped.

“Killian?”

Dark eyes locked with hers, sharp and penetrating as he lifted her phone to his ear. She could vaguely hear Vi calling her name on the other end.

“She’ll call you back.”

There was a split second pause from her sister, then, “Killian?”

Without responding, he hung up and stuffed Juliette’s phone into his pocket. She followed the hand with her eyes, struck dumb, except to point and mutter, “You hung up on her,” stupidly.

“She’ll understand.”

Unspoken thoughts scattered over in all directions, a spilled basket of thread unwinding and unraveling and tangling across the floor. She knew she needed to say something, but she wasn’t entirely certain she was awake or if he was just another figment of her imagination.

Bathed in the soft glow from lights around them, he seemed so surreal, like so many of her dreams. Shadows molded around him as comfortably as his dark suit. His face hung somewhere in between the light and darkness, but the contemplation blazed bright in the unwavering contours of his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” she blurted at last, when it became apparent that he wasn’t a dream.

“It’s my charity event,” he answered evenly.

He didn’t seem at all surprised to see her there, which made her wonder…

“Did you send Randy the tickets?”

He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t.”

Of course not. Why would he? He didn’t want to see her again so why would he invite her and her boyfriend? The realization sank into her chest like claws burrowing through flesh and bone to close around her heart.

“I was about to leave,” she said, already skirting around him. “Have a nice evening.”

“You look beautiful.”

His quiet compliment stilled her retreat. Her gaze lifted to his and found his closed of all emotion.

“Thank you.” Her hand tumbled unsteadily down the front of her dress. “I didn’t want it to go to waste and the invitation said formal.”

“I didn’t mean the dress.”

Her lungs hitched, driving the fluttering in her stomach crazy. “I should go. Can I have my phone back please?”

Rather than comply, he closed what little space there was between them. The two steps she would have taken were devoured by only one of his and he was suddenly there, in front of her, tall and impossibly beautiful stealing her oxygen.

“If you answer something for me first.”

His proximities wreaking havoc on her, she could only swallow audibly and nod.

“Did you mean what you said?”

Her heart jumped in panic. It hadn’t even dawned on her that he might have overheard everything she’d said to Randy or Vi. She hadn’t considered he would even be there. Why would she? What were the odds? But that wasn’t her problem anymore. How much had he heard?

“What?” she forced out at last.

“The things you said.” His lashes lowered, shadowing his eyes as he surveyed her parted lips. “Did you mean them?”

“Did you?” she heard herself ask back. “The things you said in your office, did you mean them?”

His gaze lifted to hers and latched.

“I wanted to.”

His quiet confession splintered through her, denting her resolve.

“But did you?”

It took longer for him to answer. His jaw was clenched so tight, she almost feared his teeth would shatter. His eyes blazed with his inner turmoil. Tension vibrated off him to fill the cool air around them.

“Damn it, Juliette!” he growled at last, his calm mask cracking. “Don’t do this.” Black eyes burned into hers, flashing and crackling with fear, anger, and so much longing it nearly destroyed her. “Don’t ask me that.”

Heartbroken, she started to draw away from him. “Then it doesn’t matter if I meant what I said, does it?” She broke the connection and turned away. “Goodb—”

His hand closed over her mouth from behind. “Don’t!” he breathed into her ear. “Don’t say that again. I can’t stand it.” His fingers relaxed and his hand slipped away. But even without him holding her, she could feel the brush of his chest against her back, the whisper of his breath along her skin. He was so close his heat was a warm blanket around her bare shoulders. “Every voice in my head is telling me I should let you go.” It was only the vibration of those words across her back that assured her she hadn’t misheard. It was the kick of his heart against her shoulder blade. “That yes, I meant every word and I should tell you to leave.”

Juliette struggled to regulate every breath, too afraid the smallest movement might jar him back to his senses.

“Is that what you want?” She licked her lips. “Do you want me to leave?”

“Yes.” He didn’t even hesitate.

The single word shot through her like rusted daggers. Pain and embarrassment heated beneath her cheeks and she began to pull away.

“Ask me what I need, Juliette.”

Her heart cracked against her ribs, a helpless boat in an angry storm.

“What do you need?” It was said in barely above a choked whisper.

“I need to breathe again.” Each word vibrated as though torn from his very soul. They wrapped around her with their thorny edges and cut in deep. “I need to feel what it’s like not to be dying inside.” The tip of his nose grazed the side of her face lightly, barely even a whisper. “I need you.”

Juliette didn’t stop to let him finish. She spun on her heels and threw herself into his arms, arms that wasted no time gathering her up against his chest. Her ribs cracked, but she didn’t care.

“I didn’t,” he whispered into her ear. “I didn’t mean a damn word I said that night.”

“I meant what I said,” she whispered into the side of his neck. “I love you.”

The arms tightened, crushing and painful. “Jesus, Juliette.” His ragged breath burned into the bare skin of her shoulder. “Jesus, I love you.” He drew back to take her face between his hands. Urgency and desperation blazed bright behind his eyes, brightening them with a deep inner light. “I don’t know how, but I’m going to make this work. I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep you. I swear it.”

She started to tell him she believed him when they were interrupted by the hurried click of heels on stone. They both glanced up just as Maraveet rounded a row of bushes and clipped into view, a phone clasped to her ear. Her golden gown shimmered beneath the lights. The sequins glittered with every fluid motion. She spotted them and jogged forward.

“I found them,” she said into the phone. “No, no one’s hurt or naked. Right?” She snickered before turning green eyes on them. “Your sister says a little warning would be nice next time you hang up on her. Also, she’s … hold on.” She paused to listen to whatever Vi was saying on the other end. “Right. Okay, hold on.” Pulling the phone away, she hit speaker and Vi’s voice filled the silence. “All right, go on.”

“About time! Do you have any idea how hard it was to get the two of you in the same place at the same time? You owe us big. I would like my thank you in hundred dollar bills or a nice Porsche, just an FYI.”

Juliette exchanged bemused glances with Killian before facing the other woman. “What is this? What did you two do?”

“What we did?” Maraveet huffed. “We saved our own sanities is what we did.”

“You two are the biggest babies on the planet,” Vi chimed in. “Someone had to do something.”