“I get enough preteen sass from my girls, thanks. If you’re gonna be rude, you can go ahead and leave.”
“I’m not leavin’ until you tell me what the hell happened.”
She broke eye contact with him and turned her head to stare off into the distance. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Nash dropped into a crouch in front of her and shifted to the side until he caught her gaze. “Don’t play these games with me, princess. We’ve never done that before, and we’re certainly not gonna start now.”
She blew out a long breath, as if this conversation exhausted her very soul. “I don’t know what you want from me, Nash.”
“I want you to berealwith me. Same thing I’ve always wanted. Same thing I’ve always asked from you. Just be real.”
“Fine.” Her jaw clenched, and she folded her arms over her chest. “You want real? This isn’t working.”
“You’re gonna have to be more specific. What, exactly, isn’t workin’? The partnership?”
She rolled her eyes. “Not everything is about the partnership. I’m talkin’ aboutthis.” She gestured between them with a quick flick of her fingers. “Us.We’renot workin’. I can’t keep doin’ this thing with you. But don’t worry about our partnership—I’ll still hold up my end of the bargain,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration.
“You think I’m worried about the fucking partnership? I don’t give a damn about that. I can work anywhere. Do anything. Hell, Bozeman already offered me a job if my old man accepts their offer.” He reached up and cupped her face in his hands, his entire body aching to kiss her. To hold her. To remind her exactly how good it was between them. “But there’s only one you.That’swhat I’m worried about. That’s what’s got me all tied up in knots, princess. Losingyou.”
She stared at him for long moments—so long he thought maybe, just maybe, he’d gotten through. But then she dropped her gaze and shook her head, pulling out of his grasp. “I just…I can’t do it anymore.”
He shook his head, studying her. “Last week, everything was just fine between us. You remember last week, right? When you rode me on your couch? Held on to me so tight and whispered my name as you came all over me?”
“Don’t do that,” she said, her voice tight.
“Don’t do what? Remind you of the truth? Show you how good it’s always been between us? That’s exactly what happened, and you know it. So what the hell changed in a few days?”
“Everything,” she snapped. “Everything changed.”
“Shit, Rory, you’ve gotta give me something more than that. How can I fix it if you won’t tell me what the hell is wrong?”
She shook her head. “I just…I thought I could handle this—handle bein’ with you and all the history you come with—but I can’t. I know you weren’t a saint before me, but I don’t appreciate your former lovers flauntin’ your sex life right in front of me.”
“What the hell are you talkin’ about?” He’d specifically kept his minimal sex lifeoutof Havenbrook. He’d never had more than one-night stands when the itch got to be too much. There were no crazy ex-girlfriends attempting to stake their claim on him. No women who’d be flaunting anything because there was nothingtoflaunt.
“The redhead at the bar the night of Gran’s party.”
He furrowed his brow. “Who?”
With a huff, she rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to lie to spare my feelings, Nash. I’m a big girl. I just want the truth. When’s the last time y’all were together?” She shifted her gaze to the side, breaking eye contact. “We never talked about that, about whether we’d be exclusive or not. I just assumed we were, and that’s on me, but—”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now? You think I went out and fucked other girls while I was sleepin’ inyourbed?” He pushed up to stand and walked in a tight circle, his fingers linked at the back of his head. “That’s a shitty accusation, and you know it.”
“I heard her loud and clear. She said—”
He spun around to face her. “I don’t give a fuck what she said!I’msaying it never happened, and I’ve never given you a reason not to trust me. I told her that night—same as I have every other time she’s tried to get into my bed—that I’m not interested. I’m not Sean, Rory. I’m not gonna go around behind your back and fuck your best friend. I’ve never cheated on anyone in my life, because I’ve never had anyonetocheat on. This is the first time I’ve ever been tied to anyone, and I’m sure as hell not lookin’ for a way out. You’re it for me.”
Rory snapped her mouth shut, but the doubt still lingered in her eyes. Doubt over what kind of man he was. If he’d be a repeat of her dumb-ass ex-husband. Or maybe she saw him like the rest of the town did, simply an extension of his father.
“What else?” he said. “No use gettin’ shy now. Lay it all out for me so we can work through this shit.”
She clenched her jaw and stared at him with hard eyes, but she met his challenge. “Everyone’s talkin’ about it.”
So shehadheard the whispers. She was bound to sooner or later. He’d just hoped it’d happen after their foundation was a little more solid and they could withstand the rumors.
“It’s Havenbrook, princess. Everyone talks about everything.”
“Yeah, well, I’m tired of everyone talkin’ aboutme. That’s all they’ve been doin’ for months. And now…the things they’re sayin’—” She clamped her mouth shut, as if she hadn’t meant to reveal what she did.
