Free Falling for Him by Alexandra O'Hurley Page A

what I should.”
    Olivia began gathering up all of her belongings, her hands moving fast, stuffing items into her bag in a wild manner.
    “Wait, what’s wrong? What did I say?”
    “That has got to be the biggest pity party you’ve been stuck in for the past twenty years. I don’t need you to fix me. I’m perfectly fine just the way I am.”
    “Pity? You think this is pity? I made a mistake and want to rectify it. That’s taking responsibility.”
    “That accident made me into the person I am today. If that’s a mistake, then you can kiss my ass.”
    “Damn it, Olivia, you know that isn’t what I meant at all. I just want to help you be all you can. I see hints of an amazing woman inside that’s screaming to be let out.” Liam pushed a hand through his hair. Two women pissed in one day along with two public arguments. He was batting a thousand, for sure. “Why can’t you let me help you?”
    “I’m sorry you’ve felt this guilt all these years, I really am, but I won’t let you exorcise your demons by pushing me into a surgery I don’t think I want to have.”
    “Don’t want or are you afraid to have?”
    Her fingers stopped as his words hung in the air.
    “Olivia, it seems to me you’re trying to use every excuse under the sun to not have this surgery. You keep saying your life is just fine as it is, but all I see is sadness on your face when I look at you. Could it be once you have it, you don’t know what to do with yourself?”
    She turned her gaze to him, and he glimpsed the fear he had suspected for a millisecond before she hid it away from him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    “I don’t? I just walked away from a woman who everyone expected me to marry, including her. I’ve lived the last twenty years learning how to fix your back and you won’t let me do it. I’m at a crossroads in my life. I have no idea what will come down the path next, but life has this odd way of happening as it should.”
    “You just broke up with Jenny?”
    “I did.” Was that a little happiness he saw in her face at his admission?
    “When?”
    “Two seconds before I walked in here.”
    He couldn’t stop himself any longer. He reached out and tucked the stray curl behind her ear, slowly caressing her cheek as he did. The longing he saw in her eyes floored him and made him yearn to be able to hold her in his arms, smell the warm fragrance of her rioting curls, her curves pressing into his body. The look they shared told him she wanted him as much as he did her. He grasped her hand, pulling it to his lips and placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand.
    Her eyes grew large as she watched him touch her. “I can’t believe you became a doctor because of me.”
    “Personal demons or not, I’ve helped a lot of people over the years and will hopefully help a lot more. There are worse directions I could have gone with the guilt I’ve held on to.” He threaded her fingers in his, loving how well they fit.
    “It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered.
    He closed his eyes, trying to let go of the pain, but he knew with certainty it wouldn’t happen. He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you mad before.”
    “I’ve always shied away … from everyone. I’ve never really felt comfortable letting anyone see the real me.”
    “The real you is lovely. I wish I’d seen more of her over the years.”
    “You were gone a long time, and now all you seem to do is work. Not sure you’d have even seen me had I come out of my shell.”
    “Touché.” He would remedy that now. He was going to spend a lot more time with her.
    “You know, it’s been rather nice not hiding. It’s … I don’t know—”
    “Empowering?”
    Her smile made his heart flatline for a second. “Yes, that’s it exactly. Empowering. I’m supposed to be the wordsmith, not you.”
    “I have my moments.” His gaze roamed over her porcelain skin, her cheeks a rosy pink, the