Hayes chuckles and then turns to me. With a hand on the back of my neck, he pulls me in and wraps his arms around me, holding me close. I breathe in the smell of him and feel as my blood pressure returns to normal again. When he backs away slightly, he rubs his thumb against my cheek and stares into my eyes. “I’m sorry I disappeared. I just needed to get my head on straight, and I didn’t want to drag you down with me.”
