Rebecca
Rain clinks against the glass windows of the cottage. Muted, yet loud.
It’s still appropriately dark and miserable outside.
Trying to brighten my mood, I stare at the flower painting hanging to the left of a window. It’s simple in form, complex in tone. A bouquet of reds, yellows, whites, and oranges.
Dissimilar colors jumbled together, like everything I’ve gone through over the past few days.
There’s no way of knowing which color is going to come next or when it’s going to come next. You could argue that means there’s no point in stressing about it.
A sharp knock on the front door resonates through the cottage.
Who the hell would be out in this weather?
I shake my head on my way over to the front door, which creaks as I swing it open.
It’s Killian.
He’s absolutely drenched, his black turtleneck and charcoal grey suit jacket all soaked.
He grips a vase of flowers in both of his hands. The flowers are gorgeous. Drops of rain sprinkle on the petals and fall to the ground in Miniature Rivers.
“Killian? What are you doing here?”
“I’m sorry. So sorry, Rebecca. I’ve been a fucking asshole. I’ve been a huge asshole. Please let me explain why.”
I step aside after a pregnant second.
“You want to explain inside where you won’t keep getting soaked?” I ask.
“Yes, please,” he says with a chuckle.
Killian walks past me and I close the door. I lean back against it, feeling the cold wood through the wool sweater I’m wearing. Arms crossed over my chest, I wait for him to explain.
We stand in the entry way in complete silence.
“Okay. Here it goes,” Killian starts. “I’ve had a rivalry with Brian for years now. A few years back, when I thought I was in love with the woman I had been seeing for a while, she told me she was in love with Brian, not me. I was devastated. Now I know that relationship wouldn’t have worked because we were both complete messes—emotionally and mentally. I’m still a mess, but I’m trying to fix that. I want to be a better man, and I want to be a better man because of you, Rebecca.”
I don’t say anything. I don’t want to interrupt him. Actually, I want to find the dumbass woman who broke his heart.
Who the hell would leave Killian? Brian is not without his charms, but no one compares to Killian.
Maybe I’m just biased.
“That’s why I acted like such an ass. I saw you laughing and smiling with Brian, and he was too close to you for my liking, love. All the resentment and jealousy I have for him reared its head, and I took it out on you.”
“Killian, I wasn’t giving Brian any ideas that I was interested in him. I was just being polite,” I whisper.
“I know. I know. I’m not implying you led him on or anything. It was my own issues that caused the problem—and that’s my problem, not yours. You’re damn perfect, Rebecca, and I want to be a better man for you. Even though we’ve only known each other for a short time, you’ve been the best thing to ever come into my life and the brightest ray of sunshine I’ve ever seen.”
Killian starts to sound desperate by the end. His eyes are on me. Intent.
“Rebecca, I don’t want what we have to be over—all because of my own bullshit,” he states.
My eyes start to tear up. No man has ever made me feel the way Killian does. No man has ever told me the things he had just expressed.
Damn emotions. Is it too early to blame the hormones? I’ve heard they can be a bitch.
I blink the moisture away and take a deep breath.
“I don’t want this to be over either, Killian,” I whisper. “Even if I wasn’t pregnant, I wouldn’t want what we have to be over.”
Killian goes still as a statue. Shock covers his face. The vase of flowers he’s holding drops to the floor like a spent bullet, and glass shatters in every direction.
Water splashes onto my feet. Flowers spread out on the floor. Some land on top of Killian’s shoes.
I can’t tell if he’s experiencing good shock or bad shock at the moment.
Telling him right now wasn’t the plan. It just slipped out.
Damn pregnancy hormones again. I don’t care if it’s too early to use that excuse.
I’m pregnant. I can do whatever I want.
I don’t say anything else. It’s like dealing with a scared animal; don’t move, don’t say anything or else you’ll scare it even more. It just needs a minute to assess the situation and make a decision on how to act.
“I love you,” he suddenly blurts out.
Now it’s my turn to stare silently in shock.
I didn’t expect him to say that.
I told him the truth about not wanting to end this, but I didn’t imagine he would fall in love with me.
I hoped for it. I just hadn’t been thinking about it.
This man is everything to me—and since he showed up at my front door, I’m starting to realize the same is true for him. I’m everything for him, and he loves me.
Killian doesn’t wait long for me to let his statement sink in.
“I know it may be hard for you to believe, but I’m sure of it. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life, Rebecca. I love you. I’ve never felt this way about anybody. Never loved anyone as much as I love you. No one holds a candle to you.”
He’s rambling now. Doesn’t he realize I feel the same way?
Did I realize that?
Killian is still talking.
“Did I say I was sure of this? Of us? Because I’ve never been surer of anything in my goddamn life. I love—”
“I love you, too,” I blurt out, interrupting him. “I’m in love with you, Killian. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, too. What we have between us—I don’t want it to end. I don’t want to lose you and your love. And I want you in my life. In our baby’s life.”
Killian slowly starts to smile with each statement I make. By the end, he has a shit-eating grin on his face.
Suddenly, he’s rushing toward me, the pieces of glass crunching under his shoes.
I pull myself away from the front door I’m still leaning against and meet him halfway.
My arms go around his neck, and I bury my face into his chest.
Killian wraps his arms around my waist and squeezes me close.
It feels amazing to be in his arms. I don’t even care if he’s getting my clothes wet.
He twirls us around, and I laugh.
We stop moving, then look deeply into each other’s eyes. Our lips crash against each other’s.
Groans come out from both of us.
God, I missed him.
Our tongues battle for control.
Killian softens the kiss. His teeth nip my bottom lip playfully, then our foreheads touch.
“I love you, Rebecca.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper and smile. “Take me to bed now.”
“I need to dry off first,” he replies.
“No, you don’t. You just need to get these damn clothes off.”
He looks at me with a cocky grin.
“Clothes off. Got it,” he growls. “I’m about to make you as wet as I am.”
I stand on my tiptoes and bring my mouth to his ear.
“I already am,” I whisper. “If you’d hurry up in getting me to bed and getting into my pants, you’d know this.”
“Goddamn, Rebecca,” he growls.
Laughter fills the cottage as we rush into the bedroom.