Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“I told you not to come over here without me.”
Tripp ignored Jacob’s call as he darted after Wendy. He’d hovered on the outskirts of their little group, watching her, drinking her in. She looked as beautiful as ever and he had a whole speech prepared for her.
He was going to win her over if it took the whole dang night to do it. Only, he hadn’t counted on the fact that she was still very much in flight mode.
Well, this was going to end here and now.
Wendy was going to be done running.
She was fast, but he was faster. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was tall and broad. People caught sight of him barreling through a crowd and they parted like the Red Sea.
Wendy collided with more than one person, her muttered apologies reaching him as he closed in on her.
She was headed for the structure where they kept the baked goods in an air-conditioned space.
The building also housed the restrooms and if she got into one of them, there would be no going in after her.
Granted, she’d be trapped. Did she realize she’d have to inevitably face him? Some part of him hoped deep down that she did—that she was subconsciously making decisions that would have their paths colliding.
Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t going to let it get that far.
Tripp was done waiting. He was done being the guy who only dated the girls who threw themselves at him.
This might not have been the first time he chased a girl, but it would definitely be the last because he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
They had a connection. They both knew it. Wendy just needed to come to terms with it.
Tripp closed the distance just short of entering the building.
His hand wrapped around her forearm and he tugged her aside and away from the crowds of people.
There was a hall off the one where the bathrooms were situated.
It was unused at the moment, leading to office spaces when this building was utilized for other events.
With little effort, Tripp caged Wendy against the wall. They were both breathing heavily. Her eyes were wide and wild as she took him in. Her skin flushed and tinged with a glowing sort of pink.
Dang, he was in love with this woman. Being this close to her after being starved of her presence was doing things to him he wasn’t prepared for.
Like going rogue when he’d been prepared to profess his love for her.
“Why are you trying to be set up with someone else?” There was a bite to his words, and he immediately regretted them when she flinched.
But then Wendy blinked and her lips parted with surprise. “How did you…” Then her eyes narrowed. “Jacob,” she muttered. “He told you, didn’t he?”
Tripp’s palms rested against the cool brick on either side of her head as he stared down at her.
He could steal a kiss, he was so close. Her perfume intoxicated him and it took a great deal of effort not to pull her into his arms. That was why he forced himself to keep his hands glued to the wall.
If he touched her for even a moment, he’d lose every ounce of control he’d managed to grasp onto during their chase.
“Answer the question,” he said with a level voice he couldn’t help but be proud of. “What’s going on? We were in a good place. We were—”
“There wasn’t a we, now was there?” Wendy spewed the words at him. They were likely meant to sting, but he could hear the pain in them. She was hurting.
Why?
Tripp searched her eyes, frowning.
“We were never together,” Wendy continued, closing her eyes for a brief moment. “And that’s fine. That’s what we agreed on. But that also means we don’t owe the other any explanations, either.” When she opened her eyes, they were full of turmoil. Anger. Pain. Uncertainty.
He couldn’t help it. He brought one hand down to cup her cheek. “Hey,” he whispered.
She tore away from his touch and it took every ounce of energy he had left not to get offended and lash out.
Thoughts of how hurt he’d been over Olivia briefly flickered through his mind.
He hadn’t loved her and yet when he’d realized that she’d never care for him the way she cared for her now husband, it had hurt.
Then hearing about Vallerie’s engagement.
Months ago, that news would have thrown him for a loop.
He'd thought he wasn’t built for long-term relationships.
Now, he knew better. He wasn’t built for anyone but Wendy.
“That’s a lie,” he muttered.
Wendy’s sharp gaze pinned him. “What?”
“You can say that we were never together and sure, maybe that was how you felt. But for me? Nothing could be further from the truth.” He let his words sink in for a few moments before he continued. “There is no one else, Wendy. Not for me.”
She blinked at him several times and for a moment he thought he’d broken through to her on some deeper level.
But then she scoffed a laugh and attempted to push him backward.
It was half-hearted and he didn’t budge.
But it wasn’t her physical touch that knocked him off balance.
Emotionally, he’d been knocked to his backside.
“Seriously, Tripp?” She said it with derision.
“Just last week you were out with another woman.” At his pained, slack-jawed expression, her eyes seemed to soften. “It’s fine, Tripp. I’m not mad.”
He wanted to scoff at that. Of course she was mad. Why was she lying?
Wendy’s hands dropped back to her sides when she realized that her palms were still against his chest. She sighed. “We agreed on terms and I just…”
He waited, holding his breath for her next words. But they never came.
So this was why she’d avoided him. She’d been hurt when she’d… “Wait,” he blurted, “what woman?”
Wendy’s face flushed red. “I don’t know. Some girl who was tall and had dark hair. She looked like she could be a model. Nothing like me…” Her blush deepened and she let out a strangled laugh. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter.”
He hung his head, shaking it as he fought a smile. “Wendy,” he breathed out the word, hearing the relief in his own voice. “You got it all wrong.” When he lifted his eyes back to her, she was back to being guarded. He framed her face with both of his hands and this time she didn’t pull away.
Thank heavens she wasn’t pulling away.
“That woman. Her name is Vallerie.”
Wendy stiffened but he continued before she could take flight again.
“She’s an ex and I wasn’t on a date with her. We bumped into each other at the coffee shop and she asked me to join her because her friend bailed and she had an extra latte.” He made a face. Lattes were the worst. “She’s engaged now. Practically made me eat the ring when she put it in my face.”
Wendy looked like a stunned bird who had flown straight into a pane of glass. Even her left eye seemed to twitch.
Tripp let loose a laugh. It felt like he’d been holding it in for ages and the release did wonders to his tight muscles.
“I can’t remember if I ever told you this, but…
” He shook his head. “I don’t date seriously because some part of me knows that when I finally get attached, they’ll find someone else who can love them like they deserve.
They’ll find someone who wants to settle down.
They find someone… better.” The last word came out cracked and he fought the instinct to pull away from Wendy to hide his insecurities.
Now was not the time to hide away from her. She needed to see this side of him—to understand him—if he wanted to make this work. His heart felt like it was going to jump off the deep end. The ache probably should have alarmed him more than it did, but he was here on a mission.
“The first time it happened was with Olivia,” he whispered.
Wendy didn’t break eye-contact. This was a hard story to tell, and it unnerved him to be put on the spot—that he’d put himself in this position.
“I could tell she still held a torch for someone else. It was torture to stay in that relationship and I guess it hurt a lot more than I realized when I walked away only to hear that they got back together shortly after. That guy wasted no time in swooping in and claiming what was already his. They were…” He sighed, closed his eyes, and fought the emotion threatening to overflow.
“… so in love. I’d wanted what they had.
But I knew I wouldn’t have it with Liv. I was standing in her way.
She couldn’t see it like I could. You have no idea how hard it is to walk away from someone who thinks they have feelings for you. Someone who pleads for you to stay.”
When he opened his eyes, Wendy appeared completely dumbstruck.
“I don’t want anyone else but you, Wendy. There is no one else.”
Her lashes fluttered as she drank in his words. She still hadn’t pulled away. But then she turned her face and kissed the inside of his palm before she reached up and took one hand into her own. “I didn’t realize. Honestly, I don’t know if Olivia realized either.”
“Realized what?” he asked, now staring at the way she held both of his hands in her own. He couldn’t help but think about how well they fit together.
“The sacrifice you’d made.”
His head snapped up and he stared at her.
“I can’t think of anything as selfless as letting someone go when you clearly cared for her.”
Tripp allowed himself to relax somewhat.
Wendy chewed on her lip as she turned her attention to their hands. “Are you sure?”
“About what?” he rasped.
“That you want to cross that line? You said yourself that when you date someone, they end up with someone el—”
He tugged his hand free and grasped her chin with his fingers in order to force her to look at him. When she did, he whispered, “I’m not letting you go, Wendy.”
“Why?” she whispered, her eyes shining with emotion.
Tripp’s lips quirked upward. “Because I still need to figure out how many kids you want.”
She let out a strangled laugh.
“How else am I supposed to get answers? I have to keep you close, right?”
Wendy laughed again. “I suppose that makes sense.”
“Would you tell me if we were dating? Like, really dating?” He leaned in even closer. He could smell a hint of mint on her breath.
“Maybe,” she whispered.
Tripp slanted his head. “I guess the only way to start down that path would be for me to ask you out.”
Her eyes widened and she gasped. “Oh my gosh. I can’t believe—” She started to pull away but he’d managed to hold her firmly, one arm around her waist. She pressed both hands against his chest. “I was supposed to be on a date with—”
“Me.”
Wendy’s whole body went slack and she gaped at him. “What? No—”
He grinned at her and as the reality of the situation settled on her, she gasped again. “You didn’t.”
Tripp stared at her blankly, waiting for her to say exactly what was on her mind. When she failed to find the words, he snickered. “Get Jacob to set me up with you instead of some random guy? Of course I did. I told you, sweetness, I’m not going to let you go.”
Her jaw dropped but he couldn’t miss the relief and… maybe excitement in her eyes. “Of course you did,” she said finally.
He chuckled, placing his palm against her cheek once more. “Of course I did,” he repeated. “So, what do you say? Go on a date with me?”
She pretended to think about it, tilting her head to the side as her hands came up to lace behind his neck. “I suppose I could consider scheduling you in.”
Tripp shook his head with a mock groan. “You’re killing me.”
Her eyes twinkled.
“We could get out of here,” he murmured, leaning in so his nose brushed near her ear. “A picnic. A horse ride. Something… romantic?”
She pulled back and frowned. “What?”
For a brief moment, he panicked. Where had he gone wrong? She loved the rides they’d taken.
Then she made a gesture with her hand. “We’re at the rodeo. I’m owed a giant stuffed bear from the games and a pink cotton candy.”
He stared at her blankly for a moment then threw back his head with a laugh. “It’s a deal.”
She grinned at him. This moment right here couldn’t be more perfect.
Actually, that was wrong. There was one thing that would make this even better.
Before he had a chance to pull in for a kiss, she beat him to it.
Wendy stood on her toes and kissed him with abandon.
She gave herself over fully as she tugged him to her and clung to him like he was her personal lifeline.
There was no more holding back. No more hiding from what they both wanted.
They were made for each other, and they’d been foolish not to see it from the start.
Their kiss was broken only due to the fact that he was smiling. Wendy pulled back and gave him a funny look.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Tripp…”
Once again, he shook his head. “I’ll tell you later.
Come on. You need a giant teddy bear.” He tugged her out into the open and toward the exit.
How many times had he flippantly told her that one day she’d fall in love with him?
It didn’t matter. He didn’t have to tell her that he’d been right.
Something told him now was not the time.
She wasn’t ready to hear it and maybe she wasn’t prepared to hear his confession either.
Not until she was prepared to tell him herself.