‘This is not a battle of wills,’ he said, spearing a glance into her eyes as he fastened his jeans. ‘It’s about me caring for you.’
‘Twaddle. It’s about you reinforcing your barricades, leaving me feeling like a fool.’
Backing her into a shaft of moonlight that had unwittingly trespassed on the drama, he bit out, ‘Youdid nothing wrong. It’s me. I’m wrong for you, and no amount of sex can make that right.’
‘Try me,’ she challenged.
He wanted to say a lot of things as he headed for the door, but prolonging this served no purpose.
Stacey flinched as the door closed behind Luc. Deep down she’d known this was a daft idea, and had been primed for disappointment. But she hadn’t expected it to go quite so badly. Lucas was too sophisticated to fall for her clumsy ploys, and all she’d managed to prove tonight was that fantasies never played out as you expected them to. Only one thing was certain, and that was that she couldn’t leave it here.
Scooping up her discarded pyjama top, she dressed and left the room. She found Luc downstairs in front of a guttering fire with shadows flickering around him, head back, eyes closed, jaw set, like a dark angel sitting on the steps of hell.
She wouldn’t let him go through those gates. Somehow she was going to save him. And howeverridiculousthat sounded—a word he liked to use—she was a very determined woman.
He didn’t say anything as she came closer, but she’d put money on him knowing she was there.
‘Go away, Stace.’
‘You haven’t called me that for years.’
‘I haven’tfeltthis way for years.’
‘Have you felt anything for years?’
Too deep, too intrusive a question, she thought when he remained silent. She tried again. ‘How do you feel?’
‘Conflicted,’ he admitted. ‘Contrary to what you think, I want you more than you know, but if you expect hearts and flowers, you’ll be disappointed.’
Of course she was disappointed. Didn’t every woman want the dream? ‘Did I say that was what I expect?’
‘You didn’t have to.’
Firming her jaw, she crossed the room and sat down on the sofa facing his.
‘Believe me, Stace,’ Luc said with a touch of warmth in his tone as he opened his eyes. ‘You don’t need me in your life.’
‘Don’t tell me what I need.’
‘You have so little experience.’
‘Of sex?’ she queried. ‘I’d agree with you where that’s concerned, but I’m not inexperienced when it comes to life, and I know when someone’s hurting.’
‘That’s your strength,’ he agreed. ‘One of them.’
‘So…?’
‘So, don’t waste your time on me. I’m a lost cause, and there are plenty of people who could benefit from the kind of thoughtfulness and compassion you want to give.’
‘You make me sound like a saint and I’m far from it.’
‘Me too,’ he confirmed dryly.
‘Don’t you think it’s time to confront the demons from your past?’
‘While I’m having sex with you?’ he suggested in that same ironic tone.
Stacey shrugged. ‘It’s an outlet—yes.’
