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He squeezed her hand. “I’m not. I know I got wrapped up in you. You think I liked finding out you were using me the same way I was using you?”
Robin stepped back now, pulling her hand from his. “That’s different.
“How is it not the same?” He stared up at her, trying his best to read her features but they were shrouded in shadow. “You wanted to get information from your uncle. Since he wouldn’t give you the same amount of time he would a man, you made sure to show me off.”
Her hands fisted, and she seemed to vibrate with feeling. “That’s different.”
“How? How is it different?”
“It’s different because I actually liked you before the plan, okay? I fell for your bird watching act and the way you always made time for me. You weren’t bird watching, you were tailing me. All of it was a lie.”
“It wasn’t.” Go big or go home, right? “I fell in love with you after the plan was in motion, yes, but I don’t think that negates my feelings.”
Robin backed up against the wall. Her eyes were so large now.
“You do not mean that,” she said.
“I do. When it came to our interactions? Just the two of us? That wasn’t the job. That was me.”
“What do you want from me?” Her voice broke, and she was whispering at the end.
Fuck this.
Harper knew he was a bastard. He knew he deserved to be hurt and feel all the regret inside of him. But she didn’t. And he couldn’t remain here watching her slowly break apart. He crawled the short distance to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her as tight as he dared.
She didn’t pull away.
Her body trembled and her pain was a palpable thing.
“What I want?” He closed his eyes. “I want a chance. I want a chance to do things right and make it up to you. That’s it.”
She ran her fingers through his hair.
“This isn’t fair.” Her voice broke again as she spoke, so full of feeling. Then she sniffled.
That broke him.
“No. Please don’t cry?” He stood, picking her up as he went.
He braced her against the wall. She buried her face against his shoulder and for several long moments he just held her.
“Tell me you don’t want to feel anything for me. Tell me to go away and I will,” he whispered.
She didn’t say anything.
Harper kissed her temple then her cheek.
Robin lifted her face from his shoulder and turned, ever so slightly toward him.
There were better men in the world. Men who would do the right thing. Harper was not that man.
He pressed his lips to hers and for the first time in days felt alive. Robin’s fingers tunneled through his hair, holding him right there as her mouth moved.
As much as he wanted to kiss her, he had a goal in mind and he was playing for keeps now.
“Tell me,” he whispered.
She shook her head slightly and kissed him.
