“I am.”
“It hasn’t been long enough.”
“It has been for me, because I’m falling. It’s happening.”
“Robyn.” She lowers her voice the way she does when she’s about to be reasonable. “Sweetheart, the dick is good. That isn’t the same as falling for someone. Trust me, I have had life-changing dick, and you do not need to marry it.”
“It isn’t just that. We’ve talked.”
She widens her eyes. “You weren’t supposed to talk.”
I push my chair back from the desk and turn it a quarter so I can look at her properly. “Well, we did.”
“Was it deep?”
I nod.
She makes a noise that tells me she’s not happy. “Do you think he’s falling for you, too?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t think so. And even if some piece of him is, he won’t admit it to himself. He’s said it more than once. He doesn’t want a relationship. And if he ever did want one, it wouldn’t be with a human, and I happen to be human.”
“Why not? That’s a touch dramatic.”
“Because shifters mate for life. Their concept of forever is different from ours. He’s looked me dead in the eye and told me that humans don’t understand mating for life, that we don’t mean it. And the fact that I’m divorced doesn’t exactly support my counterargument.”
“Your divorce was not your fault. Bruce was a cheating, lying?—”
“I know.” I hold up a hand. “I know all of that. But it doesn’t matter. To Ridge, the box is ticked.” I exhale. “He’s been adamant about it just being sex. That none of it means anything. And then this morning, he left me a note.”
“What did the note say?”
I take it out of my drawer and hand it to her.
Carla reads it out loud:
Dear Robyn,
Thank you for last night. Hope you have a good day!
Ridge xx
“A guy who’s just there for the sex does not leave a note like that.”
“I know.”
“A guy who’s just there for the sex sneaks out and texts you ‘last night was fun’ three days later, if at all.”
“I know. It’s confusing the hell out of me. He told me he isn’t looking for anything, then he made love to me like I meant something.” I realize my voice has thickened and stop talking.
“Right,” she finally says. “Here’s what I think: I think you should enjoy whatever time you have left with him. Don’t waste it stewing. And then, tell him how you feel.”
“I can’t.”
“You have to, and if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stick around.”
“He won’t.”
“He might just surprise you. He might even turn you down and then realize that he’s missing you and come running right back. In fact, that’s what I think will happen.”
