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She stared at him. She didn’t k
now if she should be relieved her sister hadn’t sent a man to have sex with her or horrified that he’d felt so damn sorry for her that he’d broken his promise.
Horrified. There was no space in this room for relief. All along she’d believed Cade was different. Being here, with him, she’d no longer felt like the girl people pitied. When the truth was, she’d been on the ultimate pity date and she hadn’t even known it.
“I still don’t understand why she chose you. Did she want you to string me along without touching me for the entire weekend? Did Natalie assume I’d be so grateful for your attention, I’d follow you around waiting and hoping for more?” The questions rose up one after the other.
“I’ll admit your sister seems clueless when it comes to the fact that you’re fucking gorgeous—”
“Cade,” she protested. She wanted to erase the charade. She didn’t need pet names or praise. Not now.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice firm. “Maybe some people don’t see it. But I do.”
“Natalie thought I would melt at the sound of your voice, didn’t she?”
He sighed. “You sister asked me to come because I was already headed to Vegas to see my dad. And because she trusts me.”
“Why?” she demanded. “Are you her best tipper? A regular at the bar? Natalie doesn’t let people in. Believe me. So why did she pick you?”
He looked her straight in the eyes. “Natalie’s my best friend. We met when I first moved to Coronado. Two people who struggled to let others into their lives and had a commitment to remain single—we hit it off. Plus, I wanted a dog. But I’m gone a lot, so I needed someone to watch him while I was away. Natalie agreed, so we adopted from the pound.”
It was as if she’d broken a dam. Now that she knew the truth, he was ready and willing to share the complete picture. How they’d grown close, their pet…
“You share a dog with my sister.” Jealousy rushed in, quickly eviscerating her shock at learning why he’d suddenly walked into her life. “Wait, have you slept with her?”
“No. No.” His eyes widened and his fingers curled into his hips, the tension rippling through his arms. “She’s like my little sister, like family.”
His family.
If now was the moment for complete and utter honesty, she had to admit, if only to herself, that she’d wanted—hell, still wanted—more than an orgasm spree with Cade. Love, family, maybe even a pet—she’d looked to the future and hoped to find those things with him.
No wonder he’d insisted those things could never be. He’d known how much his deception would hurt her. And still he’d gone along with it.
Her hand traced the scar along her face. The knife had hurt, but his betrayal was a new kind of pain.
“You put on quite an act when my mask fell off,” she said softly, her gaze dropping to the ground. “For someone who already knew what was hidden beneath. And that first night…pretending that I still turned you on after you saw my face.”
“It wasn’t an act. Natalie told me about your parents’ car accident, and she mentioned that you’d lived in foster homes. I knew she hated the families, but I had no idea how bad it was for you. And she never said a word about your face. I swear, I never touched you out of pity.”
He crossed the room and dropped down on one knee beside her. He took her hands in his and stared up at her, his expression a wide-eyed mix of desperation and determination. “I admit I’ve been omitting certain facts since we met, but I swear my actions were real.”
She wanted to believe him, to feel the truth in his words. But he’d shattered her trust into hundreds of little pieces.
“You’re my fantasy.” He leaned forward, raised his fingers to the smooth skin of her unaltered cheek. And then his other hand touched her jagged scars. He cradled her face in his hands and captured her lips with his. Soft and sweet quickly gave way to something hot and needy. His tongue traced her lips, and her mouth opened, welcoming him even though her mind knew better.
The kiss deepened and drew her down with it. His hands moved down her neck, over her breasts, her sides, her hips—it was as if he wanted to map the contours of her body. As if he wanted to remember every inch of her the way she was now.
As though he knew he’d never have the opportunity again.
She lifted one arm and touched his chest. The desire was real. But as his mouth moved over hers, she realized it wasn’t enough.
She broke the kiss and gently pressed her palms into his chest. Breathing hard, he released her. He stood and took a step back.
“I can’t.” She took a deep breath. “I want to be with someone whose words and actions tell the same story,” she said, her conviction strengthening with each word.
“I know. I know.”
He crossed his arms against his chest. The muscles he’d built while saving the world drew her gaze away from his face. If only bulging biceps and drool-worthy abs could be enough for her. Two days ago, they would have been. But she’d grown since then. More, she’d discovered what she wanted—what she needed—from this man. And she’d discovered how empty she felt knowing he couldn’t give it.
