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“Why are you so upset?”
He didn't say anything, just wiped his mouth with his sleeve after taking another drink of whiskey.
“I've never seen you drunk before.”
“There are a lot of things you don't know about me.”
She took another step forward, her eyes daring him to look away. “I know more than you think I do.”
That got his attention. His eyes flared with momentary anger, then went blank as he said, “Pity for you, then.”
“Here, you should eat something.” She held out something wrapped in a cloth napkin. “It'll soak up the whiskey.”
“That's the last thing I want to do.”
She sat beside him. “This isn't like you, Blake.”
He turned on her, his gray eyes glowing fiercely. “Don't you tell me what is or isn't like me,” he hissed. “You have no right.”
“As your friend,” she said softly, “I have every right.”
“Today,” Blake announced with an off-balance flourish of his arm, “is the eleventh of July.”
Caroline didn't say anything; she didn't know what to say to such an obvious announcement.
“The eleventh of July,” he repeated. “It shall go down in infamy in the saga of Blake Ravenscroft as the day he…as the day I…”
She leaned forward, shocked and moved by the choking sound in his voice. “As what day, Blake?” she whispered.
“As the day I let a woman die.”
She blanched at the pain in his voice. “No. It wasn't your fault.”
“What the hell do you know about it?”
“James told me about Marabelle.”
“Bloody interfering bastard.”
“I'm glad he did. It tells me so much more about you.”
“Why the hell would you want to know more?” he asked caustically.
“Because I lo—” Caroline stopped, horrified by what she'd almost said. “Because I like you. Because you're my friend. I haven't had many in my life, so perhaps I recognize how special friendship is.”
“I can't be your friend,” he said, his voice unbearably harsh.
“Can't you?” She held her breath, waiting for his reply.
“You don't want me to be your friend.”
“Don't you think that's for me to decide?”
“For the love of God, woman, what does it take to get you to listen? For the last time, I cannot be your friend. I could never be your friend.”
“Why not?”
“Because I want you.”
