Chapter 32

32

A heartbeat away from madness, Nathan gripped the weathered door frame. Every synapse in his body lit up like a Christmas tree as he took in the vision before him.

Gennie.

She stood there, a superhero come to life, bronze skin and fierce determination. His throat went dry and his pulse thundered in his ears like a wild beast trapped inside. After over two weeks of agonising doubt and soul-crushing regret, she was here. In the flesh. So close that he could taste the sweetness of her breath on his tongue.

And holy hell, she looked like his teenage wank fantasy.

‘Gennie…’ The sound of her name scraped against his vocal cords.

Her hazel eyes snapped to his. Time seemed to grind to a halt, the raucous chatter and laughter of the party fading to a distant hum.

The outfit she wore did absolutely nothing to hide the strength beneath the supple skin. Lara bloody Croft had come to steal what little remained of his wits.

But his former teenage crush couldn’t hold a candle to the glorious reality of Gennie Rivers before him.

He wanted to yank her into his arms, feel the press of her body against his, the beat of her heart. But he stopped himself, his fingers curling into the door frame.

‘Do you want to come in?’

Gennie’s scorching gaze held steady as she stepped over the threshold. The wildfire of her spirit charred him.

Dammit, he’d missed her. Missed the way she challenged him, made his blood boil with a single look.

But the memory of his cowardice still ripped through his chest like a chainsaw. He felt like Kirk about to meet Leatherface. Could he even dare to hope for forgiveness? For a chance to make things right?

She was here. It was a start.

Jo was the first to reach them, her keen gaze bounced between Nathan and Gennie like a ping-pong ball, and a knowing smirk played at the corners of her crimson lips. ‘So, this is the woman from the papers?’

Gennie arched an eyebrow. ‘Depends on which papers you’ve been reading.’

Jo’s smirk widened into a genuine smile. ‘I’m Jo, Nate’s sister. Welcome to the madhouse. And I don’t just mean Glenwood Lodge. Can I give you a hug?’

‘Yeah, sure.’ Gennie beamed and hugged Jo. Over Gennie’s shoulder, Jo shot him an approving wink and mouthed ‘stunning’.

He shook his head with a smile. Jo was impossible.

She was also a thousand per cent right.

Across the room, the Camerons were already craning their necks and grinning like Cheshire cats, eager to get their own piece of the newcomer. ’Look who’s finally here. We were beginning to think you’d stood us up,’ Gordon said as he came over. ‘Still jumping out of trees, Gennie?’

She grinned. ‘Only on weekdays.’

‘Breathtaking as ever,’ Martin said. ‘No wonder he’s been in such a tizzy.’

Gordon put a hand on Nathan’s shoulder. ‘Aye, the lad’s been like a bear with a sore head. But I guess we know why now, don’t we?’

Before Nathan could so much as take a breath to answer, a blur of energy came hurtling towards Gennie, pigtails flying.

‘Gennie!’ Abby’s delighted squeak tore through the conversation and drew the curious glances of the other guests. He saw the exact instant Gennie’s cool composure cracked. She crouched down and opened her arms wide to catch his daughter as she threw herself at her, trusting implicitly that she would be caught.

And of course she was.

With Gennie, she would always be.

She scooped Abby into her arms and returned the fierce hug, spinning her around in a dizzying whirl. ‘Hey, Abster! I got your message. I’m so glad you invited me. I missed you!’

Abby’s arms locked around Gennie’s neck. ‘I missed you too!’

The joy radiating from his daughter’s face threatened to unravel the last shreds of his control.

Fuck, he was done for.

Absolutely fucking done for.

Watching the two most important people in his life, the simple affection and bond between them, Nathan was lost. There would be no coming back from this, no pretending, no more doubts. This was it. This was what he’d been missing, the thing he hadn’t even known he’d been searching for. The last piece of the jigsaw, slotting into place.

He had to make this right.

Abby took Gennie’s hand and chattered a mile a minute as she towed her to the makeshift dance floor, eager to introduce her to her best mates, Paul and Becca. The party faded into the background, nothing more than white noise. All Nathan saw was Gennie, eyes sparkling as she twirled Abby around.

Nathan would do whatever it took to make sure she knew that, to prove to her that he was worthy of her love, her trust. And she of his.

The weight of his sister’s gaze burned into his cheek. Jo had always had a knack for reading him.

‘Oi, you great grump. You gonna stand there all night gaping and catching flies, or are you actually going to talk to her?’

He shot her a sideways glance. ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’

‘Immensely,’ Jo’s smile widened. ‘But seriously, Nate. Stop being an arse and go claim your happily ever after before she realises you’re not worth the effort. You know you’re in love with her, right?’

‘Yes. I’m not that dense.’

‘Highly debatable.’ Jo turned around, dramatically swooshing her vampire cape.

So Nathan finally moved. He pushed his eye patch up onto his forehead and made his way through the throng of guests. Curious gazes pricked his skin.

Let them watch. Let them all fucking watch.

‘Gennie.’

She turned to him. ‘Nathan.’

He closed the distance between them. His hands framed her face with a reverence that belied the longing inside him. He searched her eyes for any hint of hesitation, any doubt, but all he found was a mirror of his own fiery need.

‘You really came.’

She squinted. ‘Aye, Captain Obvious. Considering that I’m standing right in front of you.’

‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Good. You should be.’ She put her hands around his waist. ‘But I get it.’

‘You do?’

‘Kind of, yeah.’

This incredible woman.

They wanted a kiss? They’d get a kiss.

With a tortured sigh, he slanted his mouth over hers, claiming her lips in a kiss that was both tender and fierce, a declaration of love and a cry of surrender. The taste of her exploded on his tongue like a hit of pure cocaine, sweet and hot and so addictive he knew he’d never get enough.

He had nothing to hide, not anymore.

Nathan forced himself to pull back. ‘Can we talk?’

‘Yeah.’ She nodded. ‘Didn’t just come for the snacks, you know.’

‘Come.’ He took her hand and his fingers threaded through hers as if they were made to fit together.

Because they were.

He led her through the milling crowd, out of the hall and down the corridor to his study. He closed the door and the heavy thud sealed them in a private space.

’If not for the snacks… Why did you really agree to come tonight, Gennie? Just for Abby? I need the truth.’ He was desperate to hear her say it.

‘Because I had to. Because I…’ Her voice faltered. ‘Because I wanted to clear the air, to explain. I did not tip off the paps.’

‘I know.’ His heart jumped into overdrive as he faced her. ’I owe you an apology. For everything. For doubting you, for pushing you away. I was a massive eejit. A paranoid fool. And I’m truly sorry.’

Gennie’s palm slid up his chest to rest over his thundering heart. ‘But I also came because I had to see you. Because I care about you and Abby. So much.’

There was a beat of silence, and then her voice returned, tinged with cautious hope. ‘Nathan, I…I want you to know that I would never, ever do anything to hurt you or Abby.’

‘I know, baby. I know.’ He cupped her face, thumbs sweeping across the arches of her cheekbones, and she rested her face into his hand. ‘Gennie… Accusing you of betraying us, of using this for your own gain… God, I’m so sorry. So fucking sorry.’

‘Yeah, that wasn’t great. It ripped us apart and it… I wish you’d trusted me.’

‘I know. So do I. You have no idea. I hope you can forgive me someday.’ He paused. Words wouldn’t cut it, he knew that. ‘Come, I have to show you something.’

‘Right now?’

‘Yes.’ He took her hand and led her out of the study, through the guests, and back through the hall. He lifted their joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles before tugging her towards the door and outside. ‘Jo, keep an eye on Abby. Be right back.’

He didn’t care who saw them. What people were saying. Didn’t matter.

Because he was about to show her what she really meant to him.