For a long time, he said nothing, his face inscrutable, his body tense. The longer the silence drew out, the harder Laurel’s heart pounded. The anxiety she thought she’d banished since she’d been here began to curl through her, insidious as smoke.
I knew it. I knew this was too much, too fast.
Or maybe that wasn’t it at all. Maybe he hated the idea. Worse, maybe this had been just a fling to him and he didn’t even want her to stay. It didn’t feel like that to her, but anything was possible.
Oh my God. Say something before my heart beats straight out of my chest.
“You really want to stay?” The question came out rusty with emotion.
Laurel jumped at the tell. “Yes. I want to stay. I want to help you set up this program expansion. I want the chance to see what we can be together.”
One ha
