Figuring the best thing would be to avoid potentially running into him, she raced around the side of the house and up the private stairs to her apartment. She didn’t even reach the hallway when someone knocked on the front door.
Bailey came to an abrupt halt and stared at it. She knew it was Holt. He’d probably watched her as she came up the drive. It would’ve taken him the same amount of time to get up here as it did her.
Crap.
Another knock.
She took a deep breath and decided to be a grown-up about this. This wasn’t her doing. They were the ones kissing in the middle of town, throwing her perfect world into chaos.
When she opened the door, she looked up into Holt’s beautiful blue eyes, and a second later, she burst into tears.
***
Bailey had been avoiding him.
And though Holt accepted that something had likely happened between her and Rafe, he hadn’t expected her to cry in his arms, but that was what she was doing now as he picked her up and closed the front door.
He carried her into the living room. “Talk to me, little rabbit.”
Her sobs grew louder as she clutched his T-shirt in her fist.
“I’m sorry,” she blubbered. “It just happened. I’m not sorry that it happened, but I’m sorry I did it to you. You don’t deserve that.”
Figuring there was only one way to end her rambling, Holt cupped her face and forced her to look at him. He applied gentle pressure to her cheeks to get her attention. Bailey’s eyes opened, and she stared at him.
It was then he saw it. She was heartbroken.
The question was, why?
“Tell me what happened.” He relaxed his grip and leaned back with her in his lap, her feet on the other cushion. He pulled her against him and wrapped his arm around her back to hold her. “But do it slowly.”
Bailey rested her head on his chest. “I fucked Rafe.”
Well, there was no way to hide the fact his cock thickened since it was pressed against her ass. Holt ignored it but wasn’t sure how long that would be possible.
“Did you at least get to talk to him?”
“He told me he loved me. Then like the pathetic moron I am, I fell into his arms and—”
“You’re not pathetic,” he said gruffly. “And you’re damn sure not a moron. You’re human, Bailey. And you’ve been in love with him for years.”
She sighed, her body relaxing against him. “Rafe thinks he has nothin’ to offer anyone. That’s why he kept me in the friend zone.” She hiccuped. “Not because he’s secretly gay. I’m not a beard after all.”
He couldn’t stop the smile. This woman.
Holt had already suspected that Rafe thought he was unworthy based on his conversations with him years ago. The man had lived a traumatic life and didn’t understand the concept of unconditional love. Somewhere along the way, he’d convinced himself he had to be able to give more than he received to be worth something. And since he was convinced he had nothing to offer, he would forever be alone.
“I told him it’s never been aboutthings; I just wanted him to want me.”
“And clearly he does.”
Bailey nodded, her cheek rubbing his chest. “And I love him.”
“I know you do.”
She pulled back, her fingertip tapping his chin. He peered down at her.
“But I also love you.”
