“You agreed to the terms,” she countered. “Sowhat ifIleft?”
I let out a wry laugh. “Becausethat’s a dick move,Roar.Whatdid you think was going to happen?Iwas going to lock you inside and never let you go?Spoileralert:Stockholmsyndrome is only fun in your books.”
She scoffed. “Likeyou’d know anything about what’s in my?—”
“Try me,”Isaid, daring her. “Whatdo you thinkIdo whenIhave downtime at the station orIcan’t sleep?”
Her throat constricted as she swallowed.
“I’ve read them all,Roar.Butthat’s beside the point.Why’dyou leave?”
Her features tightened as she invoked that infuriating obstinacy. “BecauseIknew you’d be sweet andIdidn’t want that.”
I took a step inside and cupped her cheeks. “Whywould you want anything less?”
Aurora stiffened. “Notless.It’sjust . . .Idon’t want to complicate things.”
“And you thought breakfast would complicate things?”
Her stomach growled, and she let out a muttered curse.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, peeling away from my touch and turning to close her laptop.
“Okay,”Isaid, playing her game.Ifshe wanted to pretend that things were the same as they had been before yesterday, thenI’dgo along with her delusions. “Let’sgo down to the beach and take a walk.”
“I have stuff to do here,” she said with her back to me.
“What do you want me to get started on?”
“Jack,” she growled.
“What?”Ifeigned innocence. “Youwant things to go back to the way they were?Let’sdo it.Pointme to the list.”Themoment she turned back toward me,Icaught her around the waist and pinned her against the wall. “ButIthinkyou’restruggling with 'no strings' more thanIam.”
Her hands rested on my chest like we were magnetized. “Iknow what’s at stake.Doyou?”
“I know,Roar.”Irested my forehead on hers.
“I don’t think you do,Jack.Rememberthe first time we kissed and you wanted me to promise more?Ican’t.I’mfully aware of that.”
“I wasn’t thinking that night.Ijust?—”
“You were feeling something that you’ve blocked out for a long time.Tellme.Howmany other women have you said that to?”
She had me dead to rights and she knew it.
I had never said that to another woman.Iwas the king of no strings.WithAurora, it had been different from the get-go.
Aurora’s eyes were full of kindness and sympathy.Ihated that. “Thiscan’t happen again.BecauseIwillinevitably hurt you.AndbecauseIdo care about you,Idon’t want that to happen.”
I wasn’t letting her off that easy. “Wecan agree to disagree on that.”
“On what?Ushaving sex again, me hurting you, or me caring about you?”
“The first two,”Isaid asIbrushed my thumb over her cheek. “BecauseIknow you care,Roar.I’veknown it from the beginning.”Ihad pushed her as far asIcould without making her run for the hills, soIbacked off and shoved my hands in my pockets. “How’sthe water heater today?Needme to take a look?”
Her eyes darted away. “It’sfine.”
