She blinked back tears at the thought of never having Flynn in her life again. “I don’t know what to do, Laura.”

   “Okay, think about this. When you called it quits with Frank, how did it make you feel?”

   “Sad. In a remote kind of way. But also relieved.”

   “And how do you feel now—about the possibility of ending things with Flynn?”

   She turned tear-filled eyes to Laura. “It’s tearing me apart. I love him so much.”

   Laura ran her hand up and down Amelia’s arm. “I think you have your answer.”

   Amelia nodded. “I think I do.”

   Laura picked up one of Flynn’s notes and read it. “Honey, no one who is that big of an asshole would go to this much trouble to win you back. Trust me, average guys just don’t do this. Also, this is the worst poetry I’ve ever read.”

   Amelia laughed. “I know. God, I love him so much.”

   “So forgive him and let’s get your happily ever after started.”

   “Yes, let’s do that.”

THIRTY-FOUR

   When Flynn received the text from Amelia asking him if he’d like to come over to her place for dinner, it was all he could do not to leave practice right then and rush over.

   But they had a big game this weekend, and his focus had to stay on his team and the upcoming game against Seattle. They were in first place in their division, and determined to stay there. It was too close to the end of the season to screw things up now.

   He was ready for this game, and he thought the defense practiced tough today. He felt like they were all prepared to do battle on Sunday.

   It had been a long grueling day, but once the team meetings were over with, he headed home, then went upstairs and got ready to go to Amelia’s house.

   He sat on the bed after his shower, pondering what he was going to say to Amelia tonight. He had hoped the notes he had sent her this week communicated the depths of his feelings. But he needed to write her one more note, so after he got dressed he went downstairs, took a note card out of the box and wrote out the note. He put it in the envelope and tucked it in the pocket of his button-down shirt, then headed over to Amelia’s house.

   His heart was pounding as he rang her doorbell. When she opened the door, he wasn’t sure what kind of reaction to expect, but seeing her tremulous smile was the best thing he had seen in the past week.

   “Come on in.”

   “Thanks.”

   “I’m making pork tenderloin for dinner,” she said as she headed into the kitchen. “I need to check on it.”

   “Sure.” He watched her walk away. She was wearing a flowing dark brown cotton dress with long sleeves and all kinds of ripples at the bottom of the skirt. She was barefoot, her hair loose around her shoulders in waves. She looked like a gorgeous hippie and all he wanted to do was put his arms around her and hold her for like . . . an hour or two.

   When she closed the oven door, she lifted her gaze to his. “Glass of wine?”

   “Yes, please.”

   She poured from the bottle that was open on the counter and handed him the glass. He took a sip.

   “Good.”

   “Yes.”

   “Thanks for inviting me to dinner.”

   “Thank you for all the notes, and all the gifts. They were personal and from the heart, and that meant a lot to me.”

   Which reminded him of the one in his pocket. “Oh, there’s one more.”

   He took it out and handed it to her. She looked at it, then up at him.

   “Should I open it now?”

   “Whenever you want to.”

   She opened the envelope and pulled out the card and read the note aloud.

   “‘I do trust you. And I was so very wrong not to. Please forgive me. I love you, Amelia, and I want a future with you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.’”

   As she read it, he saw her eyes fill with tears. She laid the note down.

   “Oh, Flynn.” She walked into his arms.

   Having the contact of Amelia’s warm body pressed against his was the best damn thing ever. It would always be the best thing ever.

   He kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry for being such a jerk. It’ll never happen again.”

   She tilted her head back. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

   He smiled. “Okay. I’ll try not to be such a big jerk again.”

   “That works.”

   He brushed his lips across hers. “Forgive me?”

   “Yes.”

   He smoothed his hand over her face, unable to believe this amazing woman had forgiven him. “I love you.”

   “I love you, too.”

   He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt his emotions swell this deeply, but hearing Amelia tell him she loved him was overwhelming.

   “I really don’t deserve you.”

   She grinned. “No, you don’t. But you have me. Now and for always.”

   “We have each other. And we’re a work in progress. At least I am.”

   “I am, too. We’ll work on our issues together.”

   He took in a deep breath and kissed her again, this time a deeper kiss. This time a kiss that was filled with love and passion. She pressed against him and his cock got hard. He ran his hands down her back, cupping her butt to draw her against his erection.

   She pulled her lips from his. “Make love to me, Flynn. Now.”

   They moved into the bedroom and clothes were shed fast. He cupped her breasts and sucked at her nipples until she gasped. When she stroked his cock with her soft, smooth hands, it was his turn to suck in a breath. He reached for a condom and put it on in record time, then they rolled on their sides to face each other as he slid into her, teasing her nipples as he thrust deeply in and out of her hot, tight pussy.

   She ran her palm over his jaw. “I’ve missed this, missed you being inside of me.”

   He felt her tighten around him. “I haven’t slept. I don’t sleep when you’re not with me.”

   She whimpered as he drove deeper into her. “I love you, Flynn.”

   He teased her lips with his. “I love you, too, Amelia.”

   Then there were no more words as they were both caught up in the passion. And when she came, she cried out and dug her nails into his arms. He groaned hard with his climax and emptied into her with a shudder.