I walked down the street, oblivious to the sticky heat of the day.

I was used to it.

I was carrying my bags from the market where I’d picked up fixings for dinner. I was looking forward to having a nice meal and glass of wine to celebrate my first month at my new job.

I was working for a public relations company and had just been given my first solo client.

The work was fun, and all from the comfort of my own home.

Well, calling it a home was a stretch. It was actually a loft over my landlords’ garage which I rented on a month to month basis. Fully furnished and basically pest free, it was the best I could get on short notice within my budget.

I was saving money and would eventually move out and get a place of my own, but for now, it was exactly what I needed.

I turned the corner to my street and was about to head down the driveway to the stairs leading to my loft, when I noticed there was a car parked out front with tags from a rental company.

Looked like Mr. Danford had company.

Hopefully he was about to get laid, it would be nice for him to be in a good mood for once, I thought with a smile. Then stopped in my tracks and almost dropped my bags when I saw Bane sitting on my steps.

“Bane. What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised that I was able to speak without sounding like a chipmunk.

“Can we talk?” he asked, standing.

For a second, I wanted to say no, to tell him to get out, just like he’d done to me the last time we were together. But, I was curious to hear what he had to say, and if I was honest, my heart was happy to see him.

He looked better than I remembered which seemed totally unfair.

I walked passed him up the stairs and opened my door.

I looked down to see him waiting at the bottom, not following without my consent, which I appreciated, so I said, “Come on in.”

I walked into the kitchen area and busied myself putting my groceries away while Bane came inside, closed the door, and walked over to join me.

I was aware of his every move, my pulse pounding as he got closer.

“How’s Sloane?” I asked, putting a couple more feet between us.

“She’s great,” Bane said with a small smile, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Maybe it made me a bad person, but the fact that he was nervous made me feel better.

“What did you want to talk about?”

I leaned against the counter and faced him, my arms crossed over my chest.

“Can we sit?” he asked, gesturing toward the love seat and chair that made up my living room area.

I nodded and indicated that he should go first.

When he sat on the love seat, I took the chair.

“First, I want to say that I’m so sorry for the way I treated you that night. I was cruel to you, after I promised I wouldn’t be… I’m sorry.” I nodded, indicating I heard him, and he continued, “I did a lot of thinking that night, and the days that followed, and realized that I needed to talk to someone, a professional, about Sarah’s death and how I was dealing with it.”

He paused, and I wanted to reach out to him, instead, I clasped my hands together and placed them on my lap.

“I panicked when I said Sarah’s name, then I felt guilty.”

“Bane,” I said, hating that he’d felt guilt over what we’d had. I didn’t want that… no matter how much he’d hurt me.

“No, it’s okay. I’ve talked it all out and realized that even though I knew rationally that Sarah was dead, I was living as if she were coming back. I’d surrounded Sloane and I in the world we’d known and hadn’t allowed myself to move forward.”

“I’m glad you’ve found help, but what does this have to do with me?” I asked.

“I didn’t give our trial a fair shot. Not by having you there in Sarah’s house and not by making love to you in her bed. I couldn’t admit that I was falling for you because my heart was still committed to my deceased wife, and although there will always be a place for her in my heart, I’m ready to move on and be happy.”

“Bane…” I began, panic hitting me.

“Please, Katja, here me out.”

When I gave a slight nod, he said, “I love you. I’m in love with you. I think I knew it from the first second I saw you, which was why I was so adamant about us not being a love match. The feelings I had for you scared the shit out of me. Our chemistry was immediate and so potent, unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I felt guilty for feeling things for you that I’d never felt for Sarah. I was supposed to be her mate, and love her ‘til I died, yet here I was being pulled toward you as if you were my true north.”

My breath caught painfully in my throat as I listened to his declaration.

“When I entered you, when I claimed you, it was as if the world was right again. I knew that you were more than a mom for Sloane, you’re my fate, my mate, and it terrified me. When you said you loved me, my response was automated. I was in my head and freaked and didn’t even realize what I was saying until it was too late.”

Bane stood up, then dropped to his knees in front of my chair and took my hands in his.

“I love you, Katja. I want to buy a home with you, raise a family with you, spend the rest of my days making you happy. We’ll find a place with some land, so we can get Sloane some chickens and goats, and you can decorate it however you want. If you want to work, then work and if you don’t, I’ll take care of us. Anything and everything you want, just please, say you’ll come back with me. Marry me. Let me cherish you for the rest of our lives.”

I looked into his dark eyes, saw the sincerity there as the words he spoke played through my head like a Frank Sinatra song.

He was so beautiful, so strong and capable. A great father and amazing lover. But, he’d hurt me and I was afraid. Afraid to say yes, afraid to say no. Afraid to make the wrong choice and ruin my chance at happiness.

“I know you’re afraid to trust me, and you have every right to be, but please, come back with me, finish out our trial. Then, if you decide it’s not what you want, you can come back and I’ll leave you alone for good.”

I searched my mind, then my heart, and I knew without a doubt that I’d be happier with Bane and Sloane than I could ever be without them.

So, I took a leap of faith and said, “Yes. Okay, Bane, I’ll come back with you.”

Bane let out a loud, excited laugh, the stood and lifted me to my feet. He pulled me in, wrapping his arms around me and lowering his head to mine.

He brushed the length of my nose with the tip of his as he looked into my eyes and grinned broadly.

“I love you so much, Katja,” Bane said, then his lips met mine.

I tilted my head and parted my lips, eager for his kiss, and he did not disappoint. Bane deepened the kiss and made love to my mouth until my knees were weak and there were tears of joy falling from my eyes.

When he pulled back and wiped my cheeks with his thumbs, I said softly, “I love you too, Bane.”

His answering smile was beautiful, as were his words.

“Let’s go home.”