Balen stood outside Autumn’s door and took a moment to calm his racing heart. He’d found an unlikely ally in Summer, and Balen was grateful for every break he could get. He was in unchartered waters, and as good a swimmer as he was, he wished he’d brought along a floatie. He’d spent the last week facing thirty-foot mavericks and he’d rather have done that any day than stare this fiery ginger in the eye.

He’d been over it a thousand times in his head—replaying where he’d gone wrong and how he might make things right again. He’d recited all the things he wanted to tell her so many times, his apology had turned into a goddamn mantra. He’d sent Autumn a text earlier this afternoon telling her he was coming over, more out of courtesy then expecting an actual response. He didn’t want to further piss her off by dropping in unannounced, and to be honest, a part of him was nervous as hell about seeing her. The last time hadn’t gone so well, and with her refusing to respond to his calls or messages, he knew his work would be cut out for him. But thankfully, he had someone on the inside.

Balen had been surprised when Summer had responded to Autumn’s text, providing him with an address and the security code to her apartment building. But now that he was here, his nerves were getting the better of him. Exhaling a sigh, he dragged his hand through his hair and paced in front of her door, not yet ready to commit to knocking.

The door one apartment down swung open and a man stepped into the hall. He ground to a halt when he saw Balen standing there. His eyes more intense than his apathetic expression belayed.

“Can I help you?” It wasn’t what he said, it was how he said it that told Balen this guy didn’t appreciate him stalking around outside Autumn’s door. What rose his hackles was why this guy cared. Did he have a personal interest in Autumn, because her “neighbor” was throwing off some serious territorial vibes. “Who let you in here?”

Was Autumn involved with him? There was definitely something up, because Balen knew jealousy when he saw it, and that green-eyed monster had its claws sunk in deep. In fact, Balen’s own veins were flooding with the hum of it as the dude wearing a black t-shirt, camouflaged fatigue pants, and combat boots, stepped up on him. Unfortunately for GI Joe, Balen wasn’t easily intimidated and he had no intention of going anywhere until he talked to Autumn, so this guy could back the hell off.

“Summer gave me the code.”

Autumn’s neighbor grunted. “Figures.” The shake of his head was nearly imperceptible. “Well she’s not home, so you’re just gonna have to take a number, man. Who should I tell her stopped by?”

Smart. He wanted Balen’s name, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out he had no intention of relaying any messages. “Wait, does Summer live here?” Autumn never mentioned she and Summer were roommates.

“You’re not here to see her?”

“No, I’m here for Autumn.” And just like that, the aggression left the man eyeing Balen like it was a physical effort not to punch him in the face.

“Well, shit. Why didn’t you say so. She’s home.” Autumn’s neighbor rapped his knuckles on her door and then continued on his way. “Catch ya later, man.”

Balen’s heart stuttered inside his chest before taking off at a rampant gallop as he stood there staring at the door. What. The. Fuck. He wasn’t ready to see her yet. He still needed to go over everything he wanted to say one last time.

* * *

At the knock on the door, Autumn froze. He’s here. Her pulse raced as she headed through the living room, each step ratcheting it faster until she began to feel lightheaded. Her arm moved of its own accord, her hand turning the knob as she opened the door. And then all her racing thoughts, all her anxiety, suddenly stopped when she saw Balen standing there.

His golden-flecked gaze locked on hers, and in that moment, that one look told her everything she wished he would have said that night he’d made love to her on the beach. If he had, maybe then they wouldn’t be here now, with a chasm of hurt, pain, and regret separating them when all she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms. “Balen…” That one word was all she could get out as she suddenly forgot how to breathe.

“Hey, Autumn.” He stood there a moment longer, hands shoved in the pockets of his low-riding jeans. He seemed hesitant, nervous, which was a stark contradiction to the man she knew and loved. “Can I come in?” he asked, when she stood there staring at him.

It took a second for her mind to engage her feet and she stepped aside, opening the door a little wider for him to enter. There was such a tangled web of emotions inside her, she was having trouble reconciling that he was here. When she’d boarded that plane in Cyprus, Autumn truly thought she would never see Balen again. And now here he was—in the flesh. She couldn’t decide whether to run toward him or away. Indecision kept her feet planted where she stood.

“I’ve decided to retire from professional surfing.”

Of all the things she expected Balen to say, this was not even close. “What? Balen, you can’t quit. You love surfing.”

He took a step toward her and then stopped, as if changing his mind. “I love you more,” he said simply. A sob broke free of her throat, and she moved to close the distance between them but he held up his hand to stop her. “I need to finish what I came here to say.”

She nodded, wiping at the tears pooling in her eyes and blurring her vision.

“Autumn, I know you think I used you, but I swear I knew nothing about the interview or those photos getting leaked. That time we spent together, the man I was with you, that’s really me. And it took losing you to realize that I don’t want to be the man I was before I met you anymore—the guy who slept around and partied way too hard. That week with you, I felt more myself than I had in longer than I can remember. And that’s because of you.

“I’m sorry I hurt you, Autumn. I never meant to do it. At first, I didn’t want you to know who I was because I was sick of being Balen Kroft. I just want to be a regular guy for once, and so I let you believe I was someone else. But then I got to know you, and I was scared that you wouldn’t like the real me as much as you did the homeless beach-bumming surfer, so I didn’t tell you who I was because I didn’t want to disappoint you. But then I fell in love with you, and I was in too deep. I knew I needed to tell you the truth, but I also knew how hurt you’d been in the past and how much honesty means to you. I was afraid if you found out that I let you believe a lie that I would lose you. And that’s exactly what happened. Only the ironic thing is, during the time we spent together, I become the man I pretended to be, and the lie I’m now living is the one everyone sees but you.”

Pressure built behind her eyes and they prickled with that all-too-familiar sensation. She tried to speak but nothing came out but a broken sob as tears clogged her throat. Her feet were in motion before she realized she’d moved and he pulled her against him, hugging her tight.

“Shh.” He rested his cheek on the top of her head, his hand soothing up and down her spine. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

As she stood there in his arms, purging her heartache and grief, Balen held her close, patiently waiting as she digested everything he’d told her.

“Who would have thought you’d fall for an unemployed beach-bumming surfer, huh?” he chuckled, and the throaty rumble vibrated against her ear. “Guess now I really am.”

She still couldn’t believe he was willing to walk away from his career for her. She couldn’t let him do it. Balen wasn’t the only one who needed to make sacrifices if this relationship was going to work. And he may not believe it now, but eventually he’d resent her for giving up his dreams. A good partner doesn’t make the other less, they make them more. And that was who she wanted to be for him—what he deserved—because that was what he was for her. He challenged her to step beyond her insecurities and self-imposed limitations. Summer was right; she couldn’t keep pushing people away because she was afraid of getting hurt. She needed to be someone who could support Balen, not hold him back. In order to do that, she had to let go of her past—the hurt, the betrayal, the heartache—and embrace her chance for a better future. This was her shot, her happily-ever-after, and she would not let it pass her by.

“No, Balen. You can’t quit.” Autumn shook her head and took a step back. “I don’t want you to give up your career for me. If you love me enough to let it go, then I love you enough to want you to keep it. I know it won’t be easy, the traveling, the popularity, the paparazzi…but somehow, we’ll make it work.”

He framed her face with his hands and studied her a moment, silence stretching between them as he seemed to weigh the sincerity of her words. “God, I love you.” His mouth crushed against hers, his tongue diving past her lips as if needing to taste the truth of her confession.

“I saw your video,” she whispered against his lips between kisses.

Balen tensed and she could feel the uneasiness settle over him, spreading down his spine. When he lifted his head to look at her, the shame and regret was evident in his eyes. “What video?”

“Of the airport.” Relief visibly swept through him. “You came back for me.”

“I almost got arrested.”

She laughed. “I saw that too. I think that was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“I watched you heading down the terminal and then you were gone. I tried to stop you before you got on the plane, but I was too late.”

Autumn slid her arms around Balen’s neck and rose to her tiptoes, placing a kiss along the hard angle of his jaw. “You weren’t too late, Balen. You’re right on time. Sometimes it takes losing something you love before you realize how hard you want to hold onto it, you know?”

“Yeah, baby. I know.”

Balen’s arms tightened around her, hugging her hard against his chest as he buried his face in the side of her neck and inhaled deep. His breath was a warm caress along her throat, sending goosebumps prickling over her flesh.

“I thought you didn’t believe in love,” she reminded him, remembering how adamant he’d been that day on the beach.

“I didn’t. But then I realized that was because I never knew what love was—before I met you.” He slid his hands up to frame her face, tipping it to meet his eyes. The intoxicating intensity of those beautiful orbs took her breath away. “I broke my promise, Autumn. That day in the villa, you made me vow I wouldn’t fall in love with you. But I swear to God that’s the last promise to you I’ll ever break.”

If she had any doubt he meant every word, the conviction in his gold-dusted eyes was undisputable. Balen loved her. Dipping his head, he brushed his lips over hers—softly, tentatively.

“I love you, too, Balen. So much that it scares me.”

“I know. To tell you the truth, I’m scared too. You’re the first thing I think about in the morning, the last thing I think about at night, and everything in between. That’s how I knew…”

“Knew what?”

“That you’re the one.”

Before she could respond, Balen deepened their kiss, his mouth consuming hers with savage desperation. The way his tongue tangled with hers, his grip on her tightening as if he wanted her to know that now he had her, he was never letting her go again. His hand fisted her hair, angling her head exactly how he wanted her as the other one slid down her side, latching onto her hip, fingertips digging into her bottom as a low growl chortled in his chest.

A rush of heat swept through her, igniting a fire deep in her soul—one she doubted an eternity together could quench. She loved this man, and she was tired of trying to fight it. Exhaling a soft moan, she returned his kiss with mirroring urgency. Now that he’d said his piece, control was a battle he no longer seemed interested in fighting.

She let out a startled squeak when he swept her into his arms and carried her down the hall. “Left or right?” he asked, stopping in the doorway.

“Right.”

He brought her to the bed and lowered her on the mattress, crawling over her in one fluid motion. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he confessed between kisses.

“I might have an idea,” she teased, wiggling her hips against his erection.

He chuckled and then grew serious, lifting his head to study her. “I was wrong, you know?” Reaching up, he tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.

“About what?”

“Where my favorite place in the whole world is. It’s wherever you are.”