His mouth was set in a grim line, his brow furrowed and his body rigid. Slowly, he lowered her feet to the floor. She stayed against the wall wishing some energetic force would push her right through so she could run.
The inches he’d put between their torsos might as well have been the size of Texas.
“Fuck, Laine. I can’t do this.”
Her mouth went dry. It seemed all the moisture from her tongue had moved to her eyes. She tried to swallow but couldn’t even get a breath down. She nodded. “Of course. I understand.”
She didn’t understand shit.
Sure, she had reasons to avoid the fire burning between them, but hearing him say he, too, struggled at the idea of them together—that cut her to the core.
She tried to inch around him, but he caught her arm.
“It’s not you, all right? It’s just— Hell, I don’t know.”
“I get it, Roarke. Honestly. You don’t have to explain. I’ll pretend nothing happened.”
He huffed with exasperation, then drove his fingers through the strands he’d let get two inches long. “It’s Ollie, Lainie.” His voice was strained. “If he were alive, I’d never have made a fucking move on you. I should know better. Christ.”
His words sliced at her heart. He’d always been loyal to Ollie—but that didn’t mean their wants weren’t important too. She was a grown woman.
But she’d die before she uttered a word of protest. Fluffing her hair, she sidled around him. “Better order that pizza. I’m sure everyone in town has the same idea tonight.”
He caught her arm again. “Dammit, Laine. Let’s talk about this.”
She froze, and her gaze landed on the large, brawny fingers clinging to her elbow. “It was a kiss,” she said coldly, shaking back her long locks over her shoulders and inching up her chin. “Kisses happen all the time. Let’s just move on, okay? No harm, no foul. But if we don’t eat soon, I might end up kicking your ass.” She flashed a grin as fake as the tree.
His shoulders relaxed and he nodded. “Yeah, okay. As long as we don’t let what happened get between us.”
“Never.” The lie was bitter on her lips. There was no going back after that kiss.
Regret churned roughly in her stomach. She needed Roarke. Needed his friendship, needed to share in his memories of Ollie, needed his company. He was all she had.
And they’d both just blown it to hell.
Wham!
Cameron’s knuckles met Laine’s cheek with force. Her eyes stung and blood filled her mouth.
“Daddy, no!” Emmy sobbed. Her little arms stretched across the limo, but her seatbelt kept her in place next to Cameron.
The back seat of the luxury car had two bench seats facing each other. When they’d gotten inside after leaving Aisha and Saif’s, Cameron had roughly pulled Emmy next to him.
Laine inhaled a shaky breath and held her cheek with her fingers. She gave Emmy a quick reassuring look before focusing on Cameron. “What was that for?” she blurted.
Instinct made her want to revolt. To hit him back. To scream and tell him she wouldn’t marry him if her life depended on it.
But it did. And so did her daughter’s.
Cameron leaned forward. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, and if Emmy weren’t in the car, Laine would’ve prayed for an accident.
He caught her face between his fingers, pinching her mouth. “You don’t speak unless I ask, eahira.”
“Daddy, stop!” Fat tears ran down Emmy’s cheeks. She grabbed her father’s suit jacket and yanked.
He spun on her, lifting his hand in the air.
Emmy covered her face with her arms, and her cries shook her body.
