❦ ❦

Sitting out on the terrace of the waterfront villa, I watched the sun rise over the horizon, casting its golden rays in every direction. The villa, owned by Nathan, was located on top of a hill and provided the best panoramic view you could find in the whole of Athens.

Nathan and Cheryl sat by my side on the comfortable modular lounger, both of them engrossed in a discussion about her upcoming movie.

We hardly ever got to be in the same city at the same time because of our busy schedules. So after the gala at my parent's mansion, the three of us had driven over to the villa to spend the night.

Just being with my best friends and not doing anything in particular had always been my favorite way to unwind. But today, my mind was too preoccupied and I couldn't bring myself to relax and enjoy. Even the spectacular sunrise failed to calm my troubled mind and I sighed in frustration.

"Okay, that's the third heavy sigh in as many minutes." Cheryl said tucking her legs under her. "We have given you enough time to brood. Now start talking."

I looked at the only two people who knew me better than anyone else. "I slept with Kate." I said softly. Nathan didn't look the least bit surprised as if he had been sure it would happen but it was the expression on Cheryl's face that amused me.

She looked absolutely delighted. "I knew you didn't mean any of that crap you told me about staying away from her." Her smile faded. "Wait. You don't seem too happy about it."

"I don't know what I'm feeling anymore. It was supposed to be just casual sex. But I can't stop thinking about her."

Nathan cocked an eyebrow up. "So, it's more than just sex?"

"I...No...Damn it, I think so." Raking a hand through my hair, I exhaled slowly. "She makes me feel vulnerable. And possessive. I can't even bear the thought of any other man touching her."

"And you're terrified of the intensity of your feelings." Cheryl stated thoughtfully and I nodded.

Nathan stood up and grabbed the whiskey bottle off the low lounge table in front of us and poured three healthy shots. He handed one glass to me and then the other to Cheryl.

"You know what I think?" He said settling down beside me. "You never got over Kate. You were in love with her in high school and after your breakup you never ever felt the same way about anyone else. I believe your feelings for her never faded and you just blocked them out."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Cheryl nodded. "I think that's why you never could stay with one woman for long enough. And since the moment Kate appeared back in your life, your feelings for her started resurfacing again."

"That can't be." I protested and downed the glass of whiskey in one gulp. The burning sensation it left in the back of my throat was nothing compared to the sudden panic that engulfed me.

"I understand how you're feeling. But you have to be honest with yourself." Cheryl took a long pause and then asked. "Are you in love with her?"

"I don't know." I replied my voice heavy with frustration. "I care about her a lot. I want to be with her more than anything else. And I know I'd do anything to keep her happy. Hell, I even want to wake up to find her sleeping next to me every morning and...." I trailed off when I saw the grin on Cheryl's face.

"What?" I scowled at her.

Nathan tossed back his drink and smirked at me. "Congratulations, man. You're definitely in love."

I went pale. "No, I'm..."

"Oh, stop being such a wimp, Jason." Cheryl interrupted me with a scowl. "You're just scared to admit your feelings. You should have seen your expression just now when you were talking about her."

"My expression?"

"Yeah. You had so much emotion on your face. So much love reflected in your eyes."

I gripped the empty glass I held in my hands tightly, my knuckles turning white. Were they right? Was I in love with Kate?

"Give that to me before you break it and hurt yourself." Cheryl grabbed the glass from me and set it on the table.

Unable to sit still, I got up and walked to the edge of the terrace. Gazing out towards the ocean, I mentally went through everything that happened since Kate entered back into my life.

It had been almost four months since that kiss we shared on the Caribbean cruise and within these four months I hadn't even been able to think of another woman.

She was in my every waking thought and when I slept she was there in my dreams.

Sure, I had taken Nicki to bed a few weeks ago, but that was also in an attempt to distract myself from Kate. But it hadn't worked.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I muttered under my breath as realization stuck. I couldn't hide from it any longer. I wasn't falling in love with her. I was already completely in love with her.

The wind was knocked out of me and I struggled to control my emotions as I finally admitted the truth to myself.

It was as if a weight had been lifted from my head. I loved Kate. I was so much in love with her. Swallowing hard, I pushed my hands deep into my pocket and turned to my best friends.

I didn't need to say anything. They understood how I was feeling at that moment. Nathan grinned and raised his glass. Cheryl gave a loud squeal and rushed into my arms, almost knocking me backwards by the force of it.

"So what are you going to do?" Nathan asked a while later. We were having breakfast by the poolside before my trip back to Chicago. "Are you going to tell her?"

"You should just talk to her and confess how you feel." Cheryl offered her opinion.

I shook my head. "I don't even know how she feels about me. Besides, I don't think she has still forgiven me for how I hurt her back in school."

Nathan frowned. "It's not like you hurt her deliberately. It was a fucking misunderstanding. You said you already talked to her about it. Didn't she believe you?"

"I don't know."

"It was a long time ago. She should be over it by now."

"Doesn't matter how long ago it was." Cheryl said, adding pepper to her omelet. "A woman may forgive you for the hurt you cause her but she will never forget it."

I scowled at her. "Thanks, Cher. That makes me feel a hell lot better."

"Well, it's true." She just grinned at me. "Anyways, if you want to win her heart, you ought to come up with a plan."

I knew she was right. I couldn't just go to Kate and admit that I was in love with her. First I had to figure out how she felt about me.

What if all she felt for me was lust and attraction? The thought filled my chest with dread. I was going to make her love me even if it was the last thing I did.

She was going to put up a fight. I was so sure of it just as I was sure of the fact that she didn't trust me. I would have to take it slow and not rush her. I would have to gain her trust first.

Six years ago, she left me and I didn't fight for her.

But this time, I was going to do everything in my power to make her stay with me.

I was going to make her mine.

❦ ❦ ❦

"Is everything okay, sir?" Ben asked me as he met my gaze in the rearview mirror of the car.

I nodded absentmindedly. Taking off my tie I threw it on the seat and unbuttoned the top two buttons of the tailored shirt I was wearing. After rolling the sleeves up to my elbow I leaned back in the seat.

I had arrived in Chicago two hours ago and spent the last hour in a meeting. Now I was on my way to see Kate and I couldn't remember being so nervous ever in my entire life.

I didn't know how she was going to react when I told her what I wanted and that scared the hell out of me. What if she refused? No. I wasn't going to let that happen. But I couldn't even force her into something she didn't want.

Frustrated, I raked a hand through my hair. I wished I could just go and tell her how I really felt. Confess to her that I loved her. But I knew she wouldn't believe me. She thought of me as a playboy who couldn't be with a woman for more than a few days.

And if I told her that I loved her she would probably think I was playing with her. That was why I needed to gain her trust first. She had so many defensive walls built around her that needed to be broken down.

I caught Ben looking at me worriedly as he drove and gave him a reassuring smile. "Everything's fine, Ben. I'm just...." I broke off as a thought struck me. "Flowers." How could I have forgotten?

"Flowers?" Ben repeated and I saw the confusion on his face through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah. Is there a florist nearby?"

"Let me check, sir."

❦❦❦

Forty minutes later Ben pulled in front of Kate's mother's house. I stepped out of the car holding a bouquet of tulips and a big box of Godiva chocolates. I remembered Kate telling me that her favorite flowers were tulips when we were in high school. I hoped it still was.

Should I have let her know that I was coming? I wondered as I stood on the front porch. I didn't want to give her the chance to say no so I hadn't called first.

Suddenly the door opened and Kate's mother, Alice stepped out. She appeared to be going out. "Jason? What a surprise!" She smiled. "Kate didn't tell me you were coming."

I cleared my throat. "Actually, she doesn't know."

"Oh." She looked curiously at the flowers and chocolates I held in my hands but didn't ask any questions. "Well then, go on inside. She is in the kitchen."

I thanked her and stepped inside the house. She closed the door behind me and I heard her leaving.

Soft music was coming from inside the house and I followed the sound to the kitchen. The sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the house and I realized I hadn't eaten since my breakfast with Cheryl and Nathan that morning. It was now close to 9 in the evening.

I spotted Kate standing at the kitchen counter, arranging cookies on a tray, her head bent down. It was the first time I was seeing her after realizing that I was in love with her and the emotions that swelled in me overwhelmed me. She hadn't seen me yet and she was humming along to the song playing on the radio.

She suddenly glanced up and her mouth opened in shock when she saw me. "What...What are you doing here?"

"You look beautiful." The words escaped my mouth. She was wearing an oversized white t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. Her hair was up in a messy bun and cookie batter was smeared across her face but in that moment, she looked so beautiful, she took my breath away.

❦ Kate ❦

Beautiful? I looked like a mess. I was sure I had cookie batter on my face and even in my hair. And I was wearing two of the oldest pieces of clothing I had. Was he being funny? I resisted the urge to pat my messy hair into place.

Trying to hide how flustered I was, I met his gaze. "That doesn't answer my question. How did you even get in?"

"Your mom let me in." He said walking towards me and holding out the flowers and chocolate box he was holding. "These are for you."

I stared at the bouquet of tulips in surprise. How did he know they were my favorite? Then I remembered that I had told him that a long time ago. He apparently had not forgotten. I refused to let that bit of information affect me. So what if he remembered? It didn't mean anything.

He cocked an eyebrow at me when I didn't make a move to accept his gifts. Shaking myself out of my shocked state, I took them from him and placed them on the counter.

"Thank you." I murmured still not understanding why he was there. Before I could ask him again, he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me flush against him.

I was caught off guard and gasped at the contact.

"I've missed you." He said softly gazing intently in my eyes. His face was unreadable but I could feel his heart beating rapidly under my hand.

I knew I should pull away from him but I couldn't. When he bent his down and captured my lips in a kiss all I could do was welcome it despite all the warning bells going off in my head. His hand was in my hair holding me still and devoured my mouth as if he had been starving for my taste.

A shudder of raw wanting wracked through me and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He made a sound in his throat and pushed his hand under my t-shirt, cupping my right breast over the thin bra I wore.

I moaned and fisted my hands in his hair, my fingernails biting into his nape. He felt so incredibly good, so male and I knew if he wanted he could have me right there in the kitchen.

But then suddenly, common sense returned, telling me I was doing a mistake.

With strength that I didn't know I possessed, I tore my mouth away from his and pushed at his chest in an effort to get away. It was like pushing at a brick wall. He didn't budge. "No. Stop." I said hoarsely.

He immediately let go off me and I grabbed on to the kitchen counter to support my weak knees. "I can't do this again." My voice was trembling as I met his gaze.

He was breathing hard, his face a mask of arousal and need. But for a second I thought I saw something like pain flicker in his stormy blue eyes but then he blinked and it was gone. I assumed I had imagined it.

"Why not?" Pushing his hands into the pockets of his pants he stared at me. His expression was unreadable again.

For a moment, I was distracted by how incredibly gorgeous he looked standing there and it took the breath away from my lungs. Biting my lips, I looked away. It wasn't the time to think how impossibly perfect he was physically.

"Look at me and tell me that you don't want me." He said softly.

I met his gaze and wished I could lie. But under the intensity of his gaze I couldn't. "I do but..."

He took a step towards me and lifted my chin up with the knuckle of his index finger. His eyes had gone soft and when he spoke his voice was so achingly gentle. "Then why won't you let yourself have me? Why are you fighting this?"