“Where were you?You never answered me.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but driving around.”
“You’ve been driving around this whole time?”
“Yes, I was upset and needed to clear my head.”She was starting to get dizzy as they moved around the table.“None of this matters right now, so I want you to leave.”
“Not happening until we get this straightened out.”
“Cole, go home to your family.It makes me sick that you and I were having sex while they waited for you at home.What the hell did you tell her when you spent the night here?”
Cole looked confused for an instant, and then searing anger replaced it.
“Do you think so little of me that you’d think I’d cheat on my woman?”
Victoria almost stumbled when she caught the hurt he tried to hide with angry words.
“I ...I...”
“That was my foreman’s wife, Tammy.She takes care of the house for me.”
“Your foreman’s wife?”she asked in disbelief, and then a veil of shame descended over her.
“Yes,” he burst out.
“I’m sorry.”
Cole stared at her.“So now you have an explanation for the letter and the woman at my house.What else do I have to correct you about?”
Victoria shook her head.“Nothing.Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go to ...sleep.”
He scowled.“What’s this shit about fuck buddies?Where did you get the idea our relationship is like that?”
Victoria snorted.“You’re kidding, right?”
“Hell, no, I’m not.”
“Because that’s all we do, Cole.You come over after you’re done on your ranch, and we have sex.Sometimes you don’t even spend the night.”
Cole stopped as the realization hit.They hadn’t gone anywhere.All day, every day, his only thought was to get her naked and inside of her as quickly as possible.That was the only time he felt content and happy.
“Hell, baby.I never thought ...I’m sorry...”
“It’s not a big deal, but I realized I can’t keep being used.I want to have a family someday, and we both know this,”—she waved her hand in the air—“whatever it is between us, probably isn’t going anywhere.”
“Why the fuck would you say that?”
“Because,” she yelled, “we’ve been having sex for about five months, and that’s the farthest it has gone.”
“I care about you...”
Victoria nodded her head.“I believe you do in your own way, but it’s not what I think I deserve.”
Cole studied her for a moment.“What if I told you I loved you?”
Victoria snorted and held back the tears that stung her eyes as she pretended to find that funny.
“We both know you don’t, and I’m unfortunately under the impression you never will.”
