“I love that you think you can,” Dakota told her with a laugh. “And though it goes against everything within me, I will let you be alone for a few minutes. But if you don’t come out soon, I’ll be back with Jell-O shots,” she warned.

“That’s a deal,” Chloe said.

When she was alone again, Chloe moved over to the window and looked down below, gazing out at the city landscape. Cars were moving in and out of traffic, horns honking, people yelling. Seattle is at its finest, she thought. No matter how much she wanted to feel a part of it all, she just couldn’t yet.

The door opened again, and Chloe plastered on a smile, getting ready to turn. Dakota hadn’t given her much time at all. But a few moments were what she’d have to accept. Her friend was just too worried. As she began to turn, though, the voice speaking stopped her cold.

“I can’t believe you found a quiet spot in this place.”

Tensing, Chloe wondered if she was imagining things. Was she thinking so hard about Nick that she could hear his voice? Finishing her turn, she was stunned when she found him standing in the room with her. How many times had she longed to see his dark hair, those beautiful green eyes, and his perfect lips smiling as he gazed at her? Too many times to count.

She wanted to rush into his arms, but she crossed hers instead as she gazed at him warily. She didn’t know what this was about, but instead of healing as she was supposed to be doing, this was going to set her back too many steps to fathom.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him, her voice controlled.

“I had a chat with your best friend earlier. She really packs a punch,” he said with a smile as he rubbed his arm. “Literally.”

Chloe looked at him in shock. “Dakota punched you?” she gasped.

“Yep, she sure did.” The way he said it was almost as if he were impressed by Dakota. That seemed odd.

“I’m sorry about that,” she said. “I really don’t want to talk to you right now, Nick,” she finished. She had to be strong, and being with him like this wasn’t going to make her that way.

“I need to talk to you,” he said as he stepped toward her. She began to shake. If he touched her, she was going to fall apart. She couldn’t let that happen.

“We said all we needed to say,” she told him. This had to stop now.

“No. We said things when I was angry. I’m sorry, Chloe,” he said. Then he swallowed up the distance between them and raised his hand, touching her arm.

The feel was so intense, it felt like she was being scorched. Her throat closed, and she desperately fought not to cry. She couldn’t fall apart, not now.

Then Nick dropped down onto his knees in front of her, and she didn’t know what to do or say. She was shaking so hard now he was bound to notice.

“Please Nick, please don’t do this to me,” she said, hating it when tears filled her eyes.

“I really screwed up, Chloe. I’m so sorry,” he told her as he reached up and brushed a tear away. That only made more fall. “I’ve been thinking of what to say to make it all better and I honestly don’t know,” he admitted.

“You don’t have to feel bad. I lied to you. I can’t use my lack of knowledge as an excuse. When I began to develop feelings for you, and I knew what was happening to you was wrong, that’s when I should have stepped up to the plate and told you what was happening. But I was trying to protect only myself. I was more worried about how I felt. It was all about me. It’s pretty black and white,” she said.

“Nothing is ever black and white,” he told her. “I’ve never been in love before―not once in my life, so when it began happening with you, I didn’t understand what was going on. It took your tiny friend to knock some sense into me,” he said with a chuckle.

Chloe was trying to process his words, but they weren’t getting through to her. She looked at him with confusion.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

He gripped her trembling fingers and looked up into her eyes. She was close to falling down to her knees in front of him.

“I love you, Chloe. I think I have from the moment you fell into my lap. You are strong and beautiful, understanding and sympathetic. You make me want to be a stronger person, and you scare me at the same time. I’m scared because I’ve always been strong on my own, and now I don’t do anything without thinking about you. I thought that if I pushed you away, put all the blame on you, then I would feel better about myself, but I was so wrong to do that. You knew nothing about me when this began, and when you did know, you stayed, not because you had to, but because you wanted to help me. I knew that even when I told myself I was furious with you. I’m sorry, darling. I’m so sorry.”

His eyes were shining with love, and as Chloe listened to him speak, she realized he was telling her the truth. She realized he was admitting he loved her. The overflowing of her heart took her breath away. She hadn’t known it was possible to feel so much joy until this very moment. She was so in love with the man kneeling before her.

“You can’t take this all on you,” she said.

“I’m not. We both made mistakes. I get that. But I also understand that I love you enough to forgive you. I’m hoping you feel the same way about me.”

She was trembling as she gazed at this man who was showing so much courage.

“I’m scared,” she admitted.

He looked at her with understanding.