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omething sexual, which she had to put a stop to, or say some other cruel things that she didn’t mean. She regretted getting so defensive when he’d started apologizing. Garrett was actually the most unselfish man she knew. He’d always thought ahead to how he would protect her if something unexpected happened. But the last thing Kate had wanted was to add to his burdens when it came to her. She hadn’t ever imagined they’d end up naked and entangled. But he’d been there. So available. So sexy, tan and bare-chested. How could she resist? And the bastard had broken remorselessly through her walls, all in his stupid attempt to bend her to his will and liking!
But then he’d pretended to be hurt by her accusation, and accused her of being a tease. The reminder made her frown. She’d never considered that she was. Did she tease him? She’d tried to make him jealous for years, but she’d never known it had even had an effect.
Maybe it had more than he’d let on.
“Landon thinks he’s going to do it,” Beth was telling Molly.
“Do what?” Kate asked as she came back into the living room.
Molly turned to her with a sad, moping face. “Marry Cassandra Clarks. Jules told me yesterday. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.”
Kate’s stomach clenched.
“It’s got something to do with acquiring Clarks Communications,” Beth said, shaking her head. “Kate, I’m sorry.”
Once again, Kate felt the painful stab of jealousy inside her. “All the more reason I should leave,” she whispered.
“You’d let the man you love marry another woman?” Beth asked uncertainly.
“If he wants her, yes. And I don’t love him. I might have had a crush, but I’m over that. I’m in love with the idea of Florida now.”
“Kate, I think it’s hard for him to let himself want something, with what happened to your father, but I’ve always seen that he’s got it bad for you,” Beth said.
“No. I had it bad for him. And now I’ve promised myself to forget him. I should find a man with no baggage who actually makes me feel loved, Beth.”
Both women quietly watched her pace to the window and then back.
“So there’s nothing going on between the two of you? The boys say he’s distracted. And so are you,” Beth insisted.
Her best friend’s eyes twinkled all of a sudden, and Kate wanted to groan when she saw Molly’s mischievous smile also appear. Did they suspect Kate had totally gone sex-crazed at Garrett’s place several days ago?
“There’s nothing going on. We’re...normal. Friends.” Who slipped up once, she mentally added. Through the window, she watched his silver Audi pull over to the curb. Little bugs tickled the insides of her stomach. “He’s here.”
“I guess I’ll just slide into the back with Molly,” Beth offered as they went outside, and Kate locked up behind her.
She hated how her heart pounded when she walked up to the shiny silver car. Garrett stood holding the door open, his eyes sweet and liquid chocolate as he smiled. “Hi, Katie.”
Her bones went mushy every time he called her Katie. “Hey, Garrett.” His broad shoulder brushed hers as she got in, and her pulse sped with his nearness as he bent to kiss her on the cheek.
Oh, God, please don’t be nice today, she thought miserably.
She could handle fighting with him. But this?
The thought of him marrying anyone, touching anyone like he’d touched her, tortured her.
He settled behind the steering wheel. She watched his hands on the gearshift as they sped off, and her core warmed and boiled hot as she remembered the ways he’d caressed her. Every part of her body wanted to do it again except her mind, where warning bells were ringing at full volume.
She couldn’t let it happen again.
He was talking marriage to another woman.
She was only too glad she wouldn’t be here to watch it.
* * *
After forty-five minutes at the dress shop, Garrett could now totally understand his brothers’ amused grins from only hours ago.
He’d never gone to a dress fitting before.
