CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Jacob parked the caroutside Leilani's home and turned to her. "Invite me in."

"It's a mess. Boxes everywhere," she replied, her lips pressed together sadly.

Nope, that wasn't happening.

He leaned closer. "Princess, invite me in."

Her eyes narrowed, but he heard the little intake of breath. She was still affected by him.

"Jake—"

Ignoring her, he got out of the car and circled around. As always, she climbed out and he shook his head.

She unlocked the front door and glanced up at him. "I don't even have anything to offer you to drink."

"I'm not here for refreshments, princess."

When the door closed behind them, she dropped her bag on the hall table and met his eyes. "Then why are you here, Jacob? Because my life is a mess, and I cannot play games anymore."

Her fa?ade dropped, and he saw the pain lining her face. Goddamn it. He couldn't stand seeing her upset. He never had. Just as he was about to pull her into his arms, she turned and walked away.

"I have water." She snapped, pulling open the fridge. "Room temperature or cold?"

"Cold," he replied, walking to the doorway.

He may have read this all wrong, in which case he'd made a whole bunch of decisions based on fantasy.

And the truth was, her cool demeanor might have been reasonable, but it was hitting in all the right spots, so his fear of rejection was front and center.

But fuck that.

He wasn't going to let Jenny, from his childhood, take away the chance of a life with Leilani. Only they got to decide that.

If he didn't man up and start talking, that was.

"I'm sorry about your mom," Jacob said.

"Yup. Thanks." She yanked open the cupboard and pulled out a glass.

"I was out of town when I heard and wasn't sure if you wanted me to contact you."

Her face dropped, and she just stared into the glass of water she had poured. Jacob waited, frozen, not sure what to do.

"Princ—"

"Don't call me that," she snapped, wet eyes connecting with his. "I'm not your princess."

Fuck.

"Lani,"

"No. Here." She slammed the water into his chest, and it spilled all over him. "Drink and go."

"Leilani, stop." Jacob placed the drink on the counter and reached for her. He pulled her into his arms as she broke down in tears. "Baby," he cooed as she sobbed against his chest.

Goddamn.

He should have just fucking followed her into the hospital that day and told her how he felt.

Instead, he'd taken days to sort his feelings out and then launched into action to become a man deserving of her.

"Hey, I'm here," Jacob said, running his hand over her hair. "I'm here."

"But you weren't," Leilani cried. "No one was."

Jesus.

Really?

"Fuck, I'm sorry. I...I wasn't sure you wanted me here. I haven't been sure about a lot of things." Jacob lifted her face to his. "But I know what I want now, and Jesus, I hope you want the same thing."

She blinked.

"Christ, I know this is bad timing. I have tried to wait and give you space. I needed to get things in order and—"

"Bad timing for what?" she asked, sniffing.

"To tell you I love you." Jacob's heart pounded in his chest. He'd never said those words to a woman before and God it was scary.

His eyes roamed Leilani's face.

"I've loved you the entire time, I'm sure of it, but I was terrified."

"You love me?"

Jacob nodded. "So fucking much."

"If you loved me, why weren't you here? Why didn't you call or...anything. Where were you?" she cried, shaking her head.

"Becoming the man you deserve," Jacob said, cupping her face. "I know you wouldn't want who I was before. You told me."

Her mouth parted. "Is that what you thought?"

He nodded. "Yes, and you know it"s true, Lani. I need to tell you things."

Jacob led her to the sofa and sat on the coffee table, taking her hands and announcing, "I've sold my shares in Sailors Club."

"You did what? Because I said I didn't want to go back?" Her face was full of disbelief.

"Yes." He nodded. "But not entirely. You made me realize what I wanted in my life. Sailors and that lifestyle was a way to avoid my fears. Things I wasn't dealing with."

"Jacob. Don't change for me." Leilani shook her head.

Yet again, his fear of her turning him away flared to life, but he refused to let it beat him.

"I'm changing for me. So I'm worthy of loving a woman like you. Of being loved by a woman like you, princess. And don't tell me to not call you that, because goddamn it, Lani, you are mine and I am not walking out this door until you tell me you are."

Okay, so he'd planned to be a little more articulate than that, but he'd got her attention. Her cheeks were pink, and her mouth parted. And fucking hell, he needed to kiss her.

"I'm leaving. I've sold Mom's house," she whispered.

"Good. Because I bought you a new house."

"What?" she cried.

"Our house. In the Hamptons." Jacob stated as if it was a done thing, because in his mind it was.

"You bought the mansion?" Leilani gasped. "Are you insane?"

He grinned.

"Oh my God, Jacob." She just stared at him.

Damn.

This wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

Not at all.

––––––––

LEILANI WAS IN lovewith a madman. Or at least a completely stupid man who had no idea what he was doing.

The worst part was she didn't know whether to laugh or cry some more, because it was utterly crazy and completely beautiful.

Not because he'd bought her a mansion—although that was completely romantic and insane—and not because he'd sold shares in what Leilani suspected was a very lucrative business; but because he'd done it, believing it would make her love him.

The idiot.

She already loved him.

What she'd wanted was him holding her hand. His arms wrapped around her as she grieved her mom. His support when she was scared and lost.

But she saw it now.

He was as scared as she was.

Just about different things.

"I also needed to straighten things up with my mom and Ward," Jacob said, playing with her fingers. "I needed to know I could give you my heart."

Her chest clenched as his words melted her barriers.

"You already did," she said quietly.

"What?" Jacob asked.

"I saw the moment you fell in love with me, but you chose not to," Leilani said. "In the house, when you were watching me in the kitchen."

Jacob nodded.

"How can I trust that you won't shut down again?" she asked. "If I let you love me?"

He stood and pulled her to her feet, cupping her face. "Because, sweetheart, if you give me your heart, I will spend every minute of every day proving just how much I love you. I'm shaking. Feel me."

She could feel it.

His huge, powerful body was trembling, and it just made her love him even more. She knew how incapacitating fear could be, even if it seemed stupid to other people.

This man was standing in front of her, baring his soul to her. How could she not love a man who was willing to do that?

"I'm fucking terrified you will kick me out, but I'm here. Maybe late. But I'm here. And I'm hoping like hell you'll let me stay."

A sob escaped her.

"You promise you won't ever leave?"

"You promise you'll let me stay?" Jacob countered.

Leilani nodded, and a microsecond later, Jacob dropped his mouth to hers and kissed her like he'd never done before.