The wedding was beautiful, but Jasmine had a hard time staying focused. Her mind kept wandering towards Atlas. She kissed her daughter goodbye before Belle carried Zoey to their truck. Bently pulled Jasmine in for a hug.
“I can’t believe you are doing this for Atlas,” she said.
He let her go and looked her in the eyes. “I’m doing this for you.”
He must have seen the question in her expression because he continued, “Hear him out. And if you don’t think he’s the one for you, I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you again. But don’t make the same mistake I did and push everything good away because you think you don’t deserve it.”
She nodded.
“But don’t let him off easy either. Make that man earn your forgiveness. Because you’re worth it.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“I will.” She chuckled.
His phone chimed in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered. “Hey, Charli—” His face transformed to worry. “Slow down. What happened? . . . Is he okay? . . . I’m on my way. Sit tight.”
He hung up the phone.
“Did something happen to the baby?” Jasmine asked, fear streaking through her.
He shook his head. “No, Finn was in an accident. He’s being airlifted to the hospital in Washington.”
“Oh my God.” Jasmine gasped, covering her mouth. Poor Charli.
“I’m gonna head over there now, and Belle will take Zoey to our house.”
“I can just keep her.”
He shook his head. “No, Belle has her. You enjoy your night.”
He waved, walking around the car. “Give him hell.”
“Tell Charli to text me if she needs anything,” she called after him.
“I will.” He got in the vehicle and drove off. She checked her phone. Only thirty minutes before Atlas would be there. Jasmine slipped inside to her room. She freshened up her eyeliner and slid on some ChapStick. She pulled at the fabric of her dress. She wouldn’t change. This was the nicest dress she owned.
Knock. Knock.
She jumped, her nerves making her feel on edge. She checked her phone. 7:45. It was probably someone else. She reached out and turned the knob, her stomach twisting with it.
Atlas stood outside her door. His black dress shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and the sleeves were rolled up, showing off his sinewy forearms. “I know I’m early. So, if you’re not ready, I can wait.”
His deep voice vibrated through her. His eyes lit with need as his gaze caressed every inch of her exposed skin.
“I’m ready.” Not really.
The corner of his mouth turned up. He held out his hand to her. “I have a surprise for you.”
She slipped her palm into his and allowed him to lead her down the stairs to his black Mercedes. He opened the door for her and she sat inside, slipping her phone in her pocket.
He turned the radio on low while they drove the few miles towards town in silence. The tension and anticipation in the car were too thick for conversation. Her body sparked like a live wire. The man was pure temptation. But she needed more than sexual attraction. She needed a man who’d be strong enough to weather the tumultuous seas with her.
He parked the car in front of the run-down building she’d passed countless times on the way to town. She turned towards him. “What are we doing at the old fish market?”
He unbuckled his seat belt, a nervous smile painting his lips. “Come on in and see.”
She got out and shut her door before following him to the front. He pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the entrance.
The smell of stale air tinged with fish still lingered even after all the years this place had been left empty. She wrinkled her nose. He switched on the light, illuminating the large open room. It had been gutted out and cleaned. A blanket was laid out in the middle with a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, and two glasses.
“What’s this?” she asked.
He took a seat on the floor and patted the spot next to him. She joined him, still trying to understand what all this meant.
“This is Atlantis—or it will be. I bought it. I’m gonna build a wraparound deck outside so guests can dine overlooking the harbor. And I’ll renovate the whole place.” He looked around, his eyes sparkling with vision.
“Your restaurant?”
His gaze met hers. “I’m moving here. I’m building a business in Shattered Cove. And, I hope, a life with you.”
She shook her head. He was really doing this? Amazing. “What about New York? Your family? The job you wanted so badly?”
He took a deep breath. “I didn’t really want that life. I did it because it was what was expected of me. But it never made me happy. I was too scared to do my own thing. I wanted them to . . . see me as worthy. But you made me question things.”
She nodded.
“They offered me the position I wanted so bad, and for once I was the son they admired. But it felt like . . . nothing. Worse than nothing. I realized the only thing I truly wanted was you.”
She chuckled with sardonic humor. “I bet they loved that.”
He dipped his head. “I had to walk away from everything. My job, my family, my income. It’s all gone. I don’t have much to offer you, except me.”
She sucked in a breath. “What do you mean you walked away from your family?”
“If you don’t follow their rules, you get disowned. I chose to leave for myself because I deserve more than being a pawn in their power game. I want to be a chef, run my own restaurant, and bring people together to enjoy great food. But more than anything, I want to be there for you and Zoey in any capacity if you’ll let me. I’d like to date you without any pretenses or secrets. Just the two of us getting to know each other and building a life with Zoey.”
She swallowed, digesting what he’d said. “Why did you say what we’d had meant nothing? Why would you try to hurt me?”
He looked down, his shoulders slumped in shame. “My whole life, Oliver had been chosen over me. I thought I’d finally found one good thing that wasn’t touched by him. Finding out you’d thought I was him the whole time, I assumed you’d do the same. I thought you’d want Olli instead of me.”
She winced. “I didn’t fall in love with Oliver. I fell for you.”
His gaze met hers, hopeful. “I was too stubborn and insecure to see that. I wanted to believe I wasn’t good enough, so that’s how I filtered the situation. I won’t ever make the same mistake. I thought you played me. Like Veronica and several other women have in the past. That’s still no excuse for how I treated you.”
“You said you wanted something untouched by your brother. But, Atlas, Zoey is his. I can’t be with someone who wouldn’t give her the love she deserves simply because of who her father is.”
He shook his head, reaching out and cupping her face in his palms. His eyes bored into hers. “I swear, I can’t explain it, but that little girl stole a piece of my heart the moment I met her. I’d never think less of her—or you—because of Oliver. He’s the one who’s missing out on two incredible ladies. The only thing she got from him is his eyes, which happen to be the same as mine.” Nothing but honesty was reflected back in those grey orbs.
“I’m not an easy person to love. I’ve got a lot of baggage—things I’ve never told anyone about. I can’t afford to let you in and have you walk out so easily another time.”
He shook his head. “Never again.”
“You can’t say that without knowing it all.”
His hands dropped to hers, waiting patiently. She inhaled a shaky breath. Was she going to do this? Tell him just how fucked up she was and see if he ran for the hills? No, she’d tell him because each time she did, she reclaimed power over the trauma. Because he did need to understand there were things she may never be able to do sexually. That depression was a struggle for her that came and went.
“My stepfather started molesting me when I was five.”
His hands tensed in hers. His jaw ticced, anger and deep sadness roiling in his gaze.
“It escalated over the years. He made me . . . that’s why I couldn’t give you a blow job.”
He pulled her into his arms, holding on to her tightly. His chest rose and fell with steady breaths. Atlas’s heartbeat thumped wildly.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to . . . I can’t tell you how many men I’ve had sex with because the truth is, I don’t know. I lost count.” Shame swirled inside her.
Dirty slut.
You’re nothing but a whore.
This is all you’re good for.
No. She took a deep breath. That wasn’t true—it never was.
I am beautiful.
I am strong.
I’m a survivor.
“But when I found out I was pregnant with Zoey, everything changed. I was terrified and alone. But she altered my life. She made me learn to re-parent myself. To see the child I was when I was victimized, and forgive myself for not being able to protect me. Zoey’s been my reason for breaking the cycle. She’s my little North Star, my lighthouse in the darkness.”
Atlas kissed her forehead. “I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. I can’t fucking imagine.”
Her heart warmed. Hearing him validate the severity of her trauma brought her a sense of comfort.
“I want to kill the man with my bare hands.”
Her eyes widened. “He’s already gone.”
“Thank you for sharing this with me. I know it can’t be easy.”
She nodded. “But you need to see how broken I am. I need you to know I have scars that have scars. Sometimes I get so sad I can’t get out of bed. And sometimes I lose my way.”
Atlas tipped her chin up to look at him. “Then I guess I’ll have to be your lighthouse too so you can find your way back.”
Love in its purest form burst from her chest. This gorgeous man looked at her like she was the most precious being in the world. She wasn’t her past. Or her shame. With Atlas, she was beautiful. He saw past her scars and saw beauty. Beyond her trauma and recognized her strength.
“Atlas?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I’d like that.”
He leaned down, melding his lips with hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, life-giving. His hand came to the back of her head. His forehead touched against hers and they both fought to catch their breath.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered breathily. She was starving for him.
He reached into the basket and pulled out several bins of Tupperware.
She slid off his lap a little deflated. “Oh, you meant for actual food.”
He chuckled. “I had a friend in New York show me how to make some of his favorite Korean dishes.”
Her heart fluttered. “You did this for me?”
“I’d do anything for you.” His tone was serious.
She smiled, fighting the happy tears that blurred her vision.
His mouth slanted over hers, kissing her cheek next, and then her forehead, and her other cheek in a circle. “And we’re gonna take this as slow as you need. I’ll wait until you’re ready to let me back in fully. There’s no rush when we have forever.”
Atlas lifted his fork to her lips. She opened her mouth and took a bite of the delicious cold noodles he fed her. Sweet, tangy, and a bit spicy, the food burst with flavor.
“It’s so good.” She smiled. “Please give the chef my compliments.”
He chuckled. “Watching you enjoy my food is all the reward I need.” Atlas traced a finger over her cheek and down her jaw. His grey eyes darkened.
“What else did you make?” she asked.
He opened the other containers before feeding her each and every bite as they shared the feast he’d prepared for them. The wine relaxed her, the conversation excited her, and the company made her body buzz alive with awareness.
“I’d better get you home.” Atlas cleared the empty containers and put them back in the basket. She helped him fold up the blanket and waited outside while he locked up the building that would soon be his restaurant. His hand pressed on her lower back, guiding her to the car. That little touch sent a zing through her body. Energy crackled between them. She buckled up as he loaded their dinner things into the trunk before joining her.
The tension in the car was thick on the drive back to the inn. Was she ready to open up to him completely again? Her body wanted him, but her heart was still hesitant.
They arrived home, and he walked her to her room. She opened the door and turned to him.
Atlas reached out his hand and cupped her face. “I’m not expecting anything from you. I know I still have a lot to prove to you, and I will start tonight. Would you just let me hold you?”
She swallowed, emotion welling up in her throat. Jasmine nodded. “Yes.”
He shrugged off his shirt as she slipped into the bathroom, pajamas in hand. Something about changing in front of him felt too vulnerable. She brushed her teeth and relieved herself, then pulled out an extra toothbrush from under the sink before she set it on the counter. She took a deep breath and walked back into the room to find him sitting on the edge of the bed in nothing but low-hung jeans showing off the defined V of his hips.
“I-I have an extra toothbrush if you want it.”
Half his smile turned up as he stood, trading places with her. “Thank you.”
She climbed into bed. The water in the bathroom turned on. Her nerves melded with her arousal, creating a hurricane of emotions tumbling through her.
A few minutes later, the bed dipped and his warm body pressed against her back. Atlas’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. “Is this okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She turned to lay her head on his chest, running her hand over his soft, olive skin. Is this real? Was this really her life now?
His palm gently rubbed up and down her arm. She closed her eyes, fighting the tears of contentment and joy that lapped the edges of her lashes.
“What are you thinking about?” his deep voice rumbled against her ear.
“I’m just . . . still trying to believe this is real, that you’re here.”
His finger traced over her hand against his chest. “I’m sorry I ever gave you reason to doubt me. I’ll never keep anything from you again, unless it’s to surprise you with something good.” He chuckled, tilting her head to look at him. “I promise to believe you always have the best intentions in mind. I swear to you that if I feel like running again, I’ll stay.”
She rolled over to his arm to get a better view of him.
“I’m more than in this, baby. You’ve taken residence in here.” He pointed to his chest. “You’ve become part of me.” He pressed his hand over her rapidly beating heart. “And you’ve stolen a piece of me I’ll never get back. You’ve captured my heart. And I give it to you freely because I know there is no person on this planet more worthy. I trust you. And I’m gonna remind you every single day just how much you mean to me until you believe it—and then, I’m gonna keep doing it.”
He wiped the moisture from her eyes.
“Loving you is my dream—my passion. You are everything to me.”
She sniffled, her heart bursting with happiness. Joy bounded out, bouncing off the walls and engulfing her in a warm glow of pure love. “You’re too much,” she laughed.
He smirked and kissed her forehead. “I’m just getting started.”