I’m the world’s biggest fool.
She shoved intoa seated position, glaring down at him. Her hair was a rumpus of crazy waves, her skin still flushed pink with exertion and passion.
“Please tell me that was a knee-jerk reaction.” Her breath sawed from her, causing her chest to rise and fall, guaranteeing his eyes remained glued to her pretty breasts. “Tell me that you say that to all the women you sleep with because…because…I don’t knowwhyyou’d say that, but—”
“I’ve never said it to anyone else,” he interrupted her. He could have lied, he supposed. He could have grabbed on to the lifeline she’d tossed him and pretended that what he’d said meant nothing. Perhaps if he were a smarter man he would have.
Take it back, she begged with her eyes.
I can’t, he silently told her with a shake of his head.
There was so muchanguish in her voice when she whispered, “You promised,” that something hard and sharp settled in the center of his chest.
He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Heneverwanted to hurt her.
“You made me promise I wouldn’tfallin love with you, but it was too late. I was alreadyinlove with you, so technically I—”
“Seriously?” She cut him off, reaching for her clothes. “You’re going to playthe semantics game with me now?”
“Emily, please listen to me.” He laid a hand against the smooth, narrow line of her back.
“No.” She batted his fingers away and shrugged into her bra. Her panties came next as he curled his hands into fists so tight his blunt nails cut into the skin of his palms.
After she pulled on her leggings and sweatshirt, she turned to him. Her eyes ran over hisface, his chest, and lower.
“For the love of Alexei Ramirez, cover that thing up.” She tossed his sweater over his hips, effectively covering his cock. He was still mostly hard. Even though he’d experienced one of the most—no, it’d beenthemost devastating orgasm of his life—he hadn’t had enough. He would never have enough. Not when it came to her. “It’s distracting as hell,” she finished.
“Emily, please let me explain.” He dutifully held his sweater over his dick.
“Right. Yes.” She nodded a little frantically. “Please explain to mewhenexactly you did all this falling in love. Was it when you were telling me I was as vexing as a housefly? Was it when I woke you from your nightmare? Was it when I was sitting on your lap in the truck?When?”
He shrugged. “There wasn’ta specific look or a certain touch or a definite place or moment. By the time I realized what’d happened, I was already ass over teakettle.”
He was digging himself in deeper. He knew it. Yet, he couldn’t stop.
“How could you do this to me?” She covered her face with her hands. “How could you let me put my job on the line when you knew—”
“Emily.” He cut her off, pulling one hand awayfrom her face. “I wouldneverput your job on the line. I wouldneverjeopardize what you’ve found, thefamilyyou’ve found at BKI. If you don’t feel the same about me, then I—”
“Idon’t,” she swore a bit too forcefully.
Those two words were hatchet strikes to his heart, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but think,The lady doth protest too much.
“Fine,” he told her. “That’s fine.Forget I said it then. We’ll simply carry on as we are, and when—”
“Are youcrazy?” she shouted, and he flicked a furtive glance at the curtain, wondering how much of this conversation his teammates and Rusty were overhearing. “We can’tcarry on as we are!” She mimicked his accent. Badly, as usual. “We have to stop everything!”
“If that’s your wish.”
She pulled at her hair. “No, youbig idiot! That’snotmy wish! Mywishis that you’d never opened your mouth so we could keep doing…” She made a rolling motion with her hand toward the bed. “Because it was just about the greatest thing ever. No!” She pointed at his face. “Wipe away that smug smile right this minute because…because…” She threw her hands in the air. “Because you’ve ruinedeverything!”
And with that, she grabbedher boots, tossed aside the curtain, and stomped out of the sleeping compartment.
Christian flung himself back against the mattress with a sigh.I’m the world’s biggest fool.It was his new mantra.
He should have kept his sodding mouth shut. He should have stuck with the plan to seduce her night after night, to love her day after day, until eventually she realized she loved him too. Andshedidlove him.
He hadn’t imagined their connection, hadn’t imagined the look in her eyes or the way she held him. She was simply scared. Scared to take the leap. Scared to give in. Scared because growing up she’d had nothing but bloodyawfulexamples of what romantic love was meant to be.
So, right-oh. It was a setback for sure. He’d lost this battle, but he was determined to win thewar.
A plan began to take shape. Anewplan. Before long, he was smiling…
