My Summer in London (My Summer #1)(48)

I came up with either pulling my hair out or dipping into a warm bath. I chose the latter since it was less painful and, hopefully, would relax me. I was too wired to properly function.

The long bath lasted over an hour, after which I was less anxious than I had been beforehand. After getting out, I found myself staring in the mirror fully naked and simply taking a good look at myself.

Even though I was watching myself, my eyes saw Cruz, imagining him right behind me just like two days ago in his office bathroom. My body instantly reacted, the zing in my blood electrifying me, making me come alive after a depressing hiatus in life.

Cruz…

“f*uk,” I whispered as I shut my eyes, imagining him … remembering him. Right then, more than ever, I realized how much I missed him, how much I truly felt for him.

Taking a towel out of the freshly bunched towel basket, I emerged from the bathroom and strode into the bedroom in search of my phone. I didn’t want to think what I was doing, so I simply followed my gut, which was screaming his name.

The second I found it, I dialed his number. After a few rings without him picking up, just when I was about to hang up, he spoke my name.

“Serena,” he said in a way that sent tingles all over my body.

I’m in love with you, I thought as I savored the way my name sounded on his lips.

Getting my bearings together, I decided to take the plunge and let fate guide me to see where that would take me. “You’re probably busy, but is there any way we can talk?”

As there was a pause, I held my breath.

“When?” he finally asked, sounding distracted.

“Like, right now?” I had to get some of this out of my system, or I would go insane. Besides, I needed to see him, most especially after the revelation Nessa had brought out that afternoon.

He released a breath before saying, “I need to be somewhere in an hour.”

“Oh.” Damn and back. What now? Well, he did say in an hour, right? That was enough time to speak to him. “Well, I’ll be quick. I promise I won’t take up much of your time.”

“Do you want me to come and give you a lift?” he immediately asked, making me break into a smile.

No matter how much we fought, Cruz would never forget his manners. It was endearing, and I couldn’t help feeling a little light-headed knowing my love for him had blossomed without me knowing.

“No, I want to walk. Thank you, though. I’m leaving right now.”

“As you wish, but be safe.”

After hanging up, I immediately sprinted to change into a simple cotton, black shirt and matching leggings then almost ran out of the door and out of the house. I had been to his house that one time, but I hadn’t forgotten the way. It was embedded in my mind.

I walked with the fresh air clearing some of the cobwebs in my head. It took approximately fifteen minutes to get to his house, and I was taken by surprise when he was waiting for me. He stood outside his door while leaning against it, looking like the epitome of a god, dressed to make any person with eyes drool with his bowtie loosely hung around his neck.

I was so struck by the sight of him that I literally had to slow down, and all the while, my eyes were glued to him and nowhere else.

The second I reached him, I made a wan smile, seeming shy all of a sudden. “Thanks for waiting,” I said breathlessly.

“You wanted to talk?” he asked, not moving from his post. Instead, he seemed content to watch me just like a king would his subject, patient as he heard them out before making a judgment or decision.

I was all nerves, yet I needed to go through this, or I would never be able to live with myself. As a result, I began by licking my lips.

“I just want to apologize for the way I acted the other day. I know I’m in no position to question you or what you do with other people …” God, this is eating me alive, I thought as I remembered that f*uking redhead and that stupid smile.

Instead of choosing to attack him with words like I had before, I decided to cool it down. My apologies wouldn’t be valid if there was no remorse to back it up.

“I don’t know where you stand with me after that, but I was hoping … Well, I’m here to ask … if possible … that you don’t engage with other women, because … because I can’t stand being this jealous—”

“Why were you jealous, Serena?” he calmly rasped out, his eyes glowing as he watched me try to answer him.

For a whole lot of reasons...

“I like you … and seeing that woman …” The stab in my heart felt so overwhelming I was almost in tears. “I don’t know how you could just go back and forth like that. I—seeing that really hit me hard.”

Unblinking, he let out a deep breath. “Come here,” he softly urged.

It took about a minute until I found my footing and took the necessary steps to get to where he was standing. It didn’t take a second for me to be in his arms as he kissed me in such a way that melted me into a puddle of gushiness.

“I don’t want anyone.” He lovingly probed into my soul. “I only ever want you.”

My heart skipped a beat, overjoyed that I had taken the initiative to be here instead of denying myself a chance at something that could be great. Hopefully, once the guilt subsided, we could finally get to where we need to be.

In the end, he decided not go to whatever event he had needed to get to. The very man himself ushered me into his home, and we didn’t get past the foyer before he had me naked and my willing body wrapped against him, clinging on for dear life as he took me against the wall roughly.