Meg pulled into the dark parking lot, wondering why she had allowed Val to convince her to go dancing. Celebrating. Over twenty thousand views and climbing. She couldn’t believe it. But it wasn’t like Meg to go out clubbing. She was more the kind to stay out of the crowds. Maybe go to a coffee shop with some live entertainment. She had to admit though, she’d had fun.

But tomorrow she would pay the price. It was almost one thirty in the morning. At least it was the weekend and she could sleep in. She parked her car and walked up to the apartment entrance door and fished around for the key in her purse.

“Meg?”

Meg jumped at the sound of the male voice behind her. Before she could think, she turned around and socked the man in the face.

He doubled over. “Ouch.” He threw his arms up to protect his face.

Then she saw the little tattoo of a dagger on his wrist. “Cade?”

“Yes.” He rubbed his jaw. “It’s me.”

Her heart leaped into her throat as she took his face into her hands. “Did I hurt you? My gosh, what are you doing here? It’s so late. I thought you were going to rob me or something.”

His lips twitched. “Well, your reflexes have gotten better, that’s for sure.”

Meg bit her lip. Why was she standing in the parking lot talking to him? She motioned to the door, her heart suddenly racing. “Want to come in?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

She unlocked the door and led him up the stairs to her second-floor apartment, wishing she’d dusted or something yesterday. She pointed to the couch. “Have a seat.”

He turned to her. “I won’t be here long. I just wanted to say something, and I felt like it needed to be in person.”

Meg closed her eyes and allowed the sound of his voice to take her back to when they’d been so close. When he’d comforted her. When he’d protected her. But she knew she couldn’t live in the past forever. She opened her eyes and nodded. “All right. Go ahead.”

He faltered a bit under her gaze, and she was glad. He was pretty disarming. He’d changed. His hair was a bit longer and styled differently. He wore a button-up shirt and tie, which she had never seen him in. It fit in with his corporate side.

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Look. I wanted to apologize for not calling you when you gave your number to my brother.”

That’s what he wanted to say? He was sorry he didn’t want to talk to her anymore? Why did he have to come to her apartment to say that? She tried to stuff down her annoyance and disappointment. “Apology accepted.” She took a step back and put her hands on her hips in the hopes that it would signal he could leave now.

He took in a breath and rocked back on his heels like he didn’t know what to do with himself. “You look good, Meg,” he finally said.

She softened a bit. “You do too.”

“I, uh...I thought a lot about you when I went back to prison.”

Her anger rose again. “Did you? Is that why you refused to call me? You were too busy thinking about me?”

“No.” His gaze penetrated hers and she felt bad for her sarcasm. He looked pained. “I wasn’t sure I was getting out. I didn’t want to...I mean, it would have been selfish for me to want to have a relationship with you if my name was never going to be cleared.”

That was why he hadn’t called? She took a second to process this. He was once again trying to protect her. But she hadn’t needed protecting. She’d needed him. Why hadn’t he seen that? She couldn’t put her feelings into words, so she stayed silent.

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Look, I’m sorry if I hurt you. That was not my intention. I only wanted to save you from associating with a fugitive.”

“You didn’t mind when you climbed into my car.” The words were out before she could censor them, and she refrained from clamping her hand over her mouth. Maybe he deserved that.

He got a funny look on his face, and she couldn’t help but ask. “What?”

“Your sarcasm. I’ve always loved it.”

“Really?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah.”

Why did he have to be so adorable? He was a jerk for not calling. Not even explaining why. She was over him, finally. She’d said her goodbye. Why was he suddenly back in her life, looking all sexy like that? She tried to calm her thumping heart. “Well, thanks for coming by, but it’s late. I should get to bed.”

He nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Right. Okay.”

Meg watched him turn and walk toward the door. She held in her emotions as he stopped and stood before her once again, his gaze penetrating. “Goodbye, Meg.”

Her heart shattered as she looked at him. “Goodbye.”

He worked his jaw then turned and left. She quietly closed the door and then pressed her back up against it. What had just happened? Why had he come all the way to her side of town? What was the point? She sucked a breath in and blinked, trying to hold back the tears.

Then she straightened. Why had she let him walk out the door? Hadn’t she obsessed about seeing him for the last six months? Hadn’t she played what she would say to him over and over in her mind? She had to tell him now, or she’d regret it forever. She turned around and threw open the door.

Cade stood there, his eyes wide. “Sorry. I was just going to knock.”

“What did you want?”

He looked her over. “What did you want?”

Frustration welled in her, and she stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door. She blurted out the first thing that popped into her head. “You’re a jerk.”

Cade blinked. “What?”

“You heard me. You’re selfish. You didn’t call me because you thought I wouldn’t want to be with someone in your situation. But did you ever think about how I felt about it? Did you once think about what your silence was doing to me?”

“My silence?”

“Yes.” She pushed his shoulder, anger building up in her. “You weren’t there for me. I wanted to talk to you. Wanted to make sure you were okay. I wanted to tell you things.” Her fists pounded on his chest. “But you wouldn’t call.”

Cade grabbed her wrists and pushed her up against the door. “Meg. Stop.”

She sucked in a breath and his scent surrounded her. It brought back to her mind the vivid memories she’d buried. Her heart beat hard against her ribcage. His lips were only millimeters from hers. “Meg,” he said, but it sounded more like a sigh.

And then she couldn’t stand it anymore. She closed the distance and pressed her lips to his. He let go of her wrists and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was hungry. Passionate. And Meg’s legs turned to rubber.

Cade pulled her to him, the kiss unable to keep up with her need to fill her life with Cade. She missed the way one side of his mouth quirked up when he smiled. She missed his kind nature and the way he did things for her out of the blue. She missed the conversations they had and the way she felt when he was near her.

He pulled back and put his forehead on hers. “I’m so sorry, Meg. I should have talked to you. I was being stupid.”

“Yes, you were.”

He chuckled and kissed her nose. “What can I do to make it up to you?”

“Tell me you love me.”

His expression grew serious, and he stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I love you, Meg.”

His words sent a jolt of electricity through her. It warmed her, and she snuggled into his chest. “I love you too, Cade.”

“Thank you for saving me.”

She pulled back in surprise. “What do you mean?”

Cade played with a strand of her hair. “You don’t know? You have a habit of saving me. On the night we met, and when Zane had a gun to my head. And now. You’ve saved me from a life without you.”

He lifted her chin with the crook of his finger and kissed her. Meg melted into him.