Making His Move by Rhyannon Byrd

word that I said to you, Sophie. I want you. Just you.”
    Her soft words were thick with regret. “I should have let you explain, but it was...”
    “Fucking nuts, I know.”
    Eyes glistening, she gave him a tremulous smile. “Yeah.”
    “Sophie, I would have had her arrested months ago, if I’d thought there was a chance you were ready to be with me. I was just trying to be a good guy for once.”
    Her lips curled with a small smile. “You’re always a good guy, Chris.”
    “Not really.” He shoved his bruised hand back through his hair again. “To be honest, I was a dick when I broke it off with her. Things weren’t going great between us, and then I met you and I just...I knew it was time to end things with Erin. I didn’t love her, but we’d been talking about maybe taking a vacation together and trying to make things work. You changed that and it blindsided her.”
    “That doesn’t make you a bad person. You were honest with her, and it might have hurt, but you didn’t screw her over. She didn’t have any right to go fatal attraction on you.”
    “But I shouldn’t have ever let it get as far as it did with her. I just, I’d started thinking I wasn’t going to find anyone who really made me take notice, and I was tired of hooking up when I needed sex. It was getting old. So I let Erin get her way. Then I met you, and it was like a kick in the face.”
    “Gee, thanks,” she murmured dryly, the look in her beautiful eyes making it clear she was teasing him.
    “You know what I mean, Soph. I met you, talked to you, felt like I’d been knocked on my ass the first time you ever smiled at me, and I just...I knew.” He stepped closer, wanting to take her into his arms so badly he could taste it. Praying like hell that she would believe him, since it was the God’s honest truth, he said, “I knew I’d finally found the woman I was meant to be with. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to get you to feel the same way. You’re so damn different from anyone I’ve ever known, and I didn’t want to fuck up and scare you off.”
    Softly, she said, “And in the meantime, she was making your life hell. You had to be worried I might do the same.”
    He laughed. “Seriously? That never even crossed my mind, Sophie. You’re sweet and honest and loyal. Playing games isn’t your style.”
    Her slender brows knitted with a frown. “I wasn’t honest about how I feel about you.”
    Shaking his head, he said, “That wasn’t out of malice, baby. That was just because you’re shy.”
    She took a quick breath, cheeks turning that adorable shade of pink that he fucking loved. “If I’d thought there was a chance that you wanted me, Chris, I’d have gotten over my shyness a long time ago.”
    “I should have told you that I wanted you. And I should have told you about Erin.”
    Shrugging her feminine shoulders, she said, “I had a feeling there was something going on that you were keeping from me. When you told me about the text, I convinced myself that was it.”
    He winced, hating that he’d caused her any pain. “I wanted to tell you. I swear to God. But I couldn’t. I was too worried about how you would take it. I mean, she’s a pain in the ass, and that’s some heavy shit to ask someone in a new relationship to deal with.”
    “It is, but you’re worth it, Chris.” She pulled in a deep breath, then slowly let it out as she finally took another step toward him. “That’s why I was heading back over to your place.”
    His heart gave a hard, satisfied thump. “You were coming to see me?”
    Nodding, she said, “I spent most of the day feeling crushed, but then” — she flicked her tongue across her sweet lower lip — “then I realized that you’re too important to me to let things end like that. With me running away. So I was going to face you down and demand an explanation.”
    Holy shit . Chris wanted to growl with hunger and shout with victory all at the same time. Feeling like the