Tate nodded. “It did, but it was my fault. I should have told you a long time ago, and I am sorry I didn’t.”
Audrey wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling her face against his chest. “It’s all out in the open now. Everything will be okay. We can only move forward from this.”
“You are right, and I don’t want to move forward with anyone but you, love.”
She nodded, squeezing him before she placed a kiss against his collarbone. Nothing was said as the two held each other for a long time, and Tate wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. He expected her to have more questions, but she didn’t. She only held him, which was what he needed. Finally, Audrey moved away, standing up before she slowly undressed. He watched as she kicked off her heels. Then she unzipped her dress and threw it on his dresser. She looked back at him and said, “Let’s go to bed.”
Tate nodded, standing up and undressing as she went into the bathroom. He crawled into bed, feeling the strain of the evening as he got under the covers. Audrey came out, sexy as hell in a gray lace bra and panties, but for the first time, he had no desire to have his way with her. Instead, he wanted to hold her and never let her go. He watched as she turned the light off and crawled into his bed. His hands itched to be on her, and when she was finally under the covers, he took her into his arms, kissing her temple.
“I’m sorry again,” he whispered in the darkness. “I should have told you a long time ago.”
“It’s fine,” she whispered back.
“I feel so much better, now that I have told you.”
Audrey nodded, moving closer. “Good, I’m glad.”
Tate slid his hands into her hair, moving her mouth to his and kissing her hard with all the appreciation he had for her. He couldn’t believe that she had come into his life and taken over his heart. It hadn’t been easy, but he was grateful it happened. Even if it scared him one second and made him the happiest man the next. Kissing his jaw, Audrey sighed, moving her hands up around his neck.
“I’m falling in love with you, Tate,” she whispered. “Don’t ever feel you have to hide anything from me. I will always be here for you, whenever you need me.”
He pulled his head back so he could see her face. Her eyes were bright in the darkness. Her lips parted and he could feel her heart pounding against his chest. He leaned forward, kissing her lips softly, then ran his nose against hers as he said, “And I’m falling for you, love, it’s hard not to.”
Chapter 21
Something was different.
Audrey didn’t know what it was, but when she came downstairs and looked around her living room, she knew something wasn’t the same. In the three weeks since Tate told her about his family, their life had happily settled into a routine. Now, Tate sat at the counter, eating cereal as he played on his laptop, which was normal when he wasn’t on the road with the team. So it wasn’t that. Glancing around the room, she took in the chic pink Christmas decor that he had helped set up, even if he did complain it was too girlie. But nothing was standing out. So what could it be? Glancing at the bright pink tree that touched the ceiling and was covered in pretty white lights, she finally figured it out. Under the tree she saw a pile of presents wrapped in pink Santa paper that was different from the neon green paper on the presents she had bought for her family and Tate.
Stepping off the bottom stair, she walked to the tree, crouching to pick up one of the presents. The tag said it was for her, and from Tate. Looking over her shoulder, she saw him grinning at her.
“You know, back home,” he said, “my mom would call you a ‘present gnome.’ ”
Audrey smiled. “What does that mean?”
“It’s when you always know there are new presents under the tree and have to hold and inspect them,” he said. “She said I used to be one, but I don’t remember that. I actually like the surprise of Christmas.”