Feeling a tightness in her throat, she looked at him over the rim of the glass as she sipped thoughtfully. She wanted to ask why he hadn’t felt that way in their marriage, but she would be resurrecting an old argument long since dead and buried. Swallowing the sip of wine like it had turned to sand, she simply said, “Finley will love that.” Pushing off the rail, she didn’t get far because he wrapped his wide fingers around her wrist and held her steady in his gentle grasp. Bringing her chin up, she blinked at his brooding expression, causing goosebumps to scatter over the surface of her skin. “Egan?”
“What happened to us?” the words came out on a ragged exhale of breath.
“Don’t. Please don’t go there. I can’t do this again.”
“There’s still something here. Can’t you feel it? Have I lost my mind?” The wind rustled through the trees like a foreboding warning of what was to come.
“This isn’t fair.” She pulled her arm free of his loose grip and the glass slipped from her shaky fingers. It fell to the concrete and shattered at her feet. Before she could process what had happened, he swept her up and carried her inside to lay her in the center of the king-sized bed. She sunk into the comforter like it was a cloud.
“Are you okay? Have you been cut?” He examined her feet, her legs, his warm fingers caressing her sensitive skin, causing an impossible torment to erupt deep inside her.
“I-I’m fine.” She sat up, staring at him, unraveling under the intensity of his stare. This was the man she’d fallen hard for. The one who swept in like a knight in shining armor. She didn’t see herself as a woman who needed taken care of, but she did appreciate how he’d always allowed her to lean on him. He’d been the only one she’d talked about her daddy with. He knew her fears and desires.
He sat down next to her hip, his smoldering gaze locked on her chest. The robe had come open and her breasts were exposed. She quickly dragged the material to cover herself. The dim light from the lamp across the room cast a golden light and time seemed to standstill as walls fell and emotions reached a fever pitch.
His jaw jerked and his eyes flooded with desire. She knew what was coming. Chains broke as he moved forward and captured her mouth under his. At first the kiss was full of rage and pent up energy—exploring and full of need. He ravaged her. His fingers wound and entwined in her hair, tugging the strands and the pricks of pain felt good on her scalp. She surrendered under his brazen act. She’d always liked his aggressiveness and eagerness to claim her. Her core trembled and her juices flowed.
Pulling back slightly, just enough to stare into his wide pupils. His irises were dark and dangerous, drilling into her with a sweet yearning. He stood and pulled the ends of his shirt from the waist of his slacks. Her smile disappeared as she caught the faint scent of a woman’s perfume. Her heart told her to not worry while logic took charge. The internal chain of doubt tugged, jerking her back into cold, stark reality.
He came back to her and she gave his chest a shove. “No,” she whispered.
His brows scrunched in heavy confusion. “Novah? What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this! I just can’t. Sorry.”
“What the hell? What could I have done in a millisecond?”
“Move,” she whispered. “Move!”
He stood and slammed his hands into his front pockets “There it is. The cold front moving in.”
She bounced off the bed and pulled the belt to her robe tight. Jealousy ripped through her, spurring a bucket of emotion. She had no right to feel this way, and yet her body felt like she was a marble being rolled around. Keeping her eyes focused on his, she forced her desire deeper and allowed the distrust to turn into anger. She’d asked him on the balcony if there was someone else? Had he lied?
He brought his hand up to rub the back of his neck and that was when she saw the streak of crimson on his collar. At first, she thought it was blood and then she realized…
“You have lipstick on your shirt,” the words slipped off her lips in disbelief.
“Huh?” The bridge of his nose creased.
“You should go,” she said softly.
“Novah…?” He shoved a hand over his hair and his lips thinned.
Turning her back to him, she hoped to send him a clear message. Truly it wasn’t the sight of the lipstick stain that brought her walls slamming back up. It was the reality check. She’d promised herself not to land in his arms again, no matter how much she enjoyed being there.
She had to be strong. For her sake as well as Finley’s.
A second later she heard the soft click of the door as it closed.
Whirling, she stared. He was gone, but the emotions he conjured up in her remained. His scent. His touch. His need. Her need.
Feeling a familiar heaviness in her chest, she dragged off the robe, placed it on the end of the bed, and crawled between the covers. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she wrapped her head around the fact that Egan still had so much control over her, over her feelings and emotions.
No…truth was, she had no control over her own emotions.
She no longer loved him.
Sure.
No longer needed him.
Of course.
And yet, she knew she’d never stopped.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SO CONSUMED IN the speech she was proofreading Novah didn’t realize she was no longer alone until she heard a faint clearing of a throat. Jerking her chin up, she found Mrs.
