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Her gaze lowered to the floor and she reached out to grasp hold of a countertop as if she was dizzy.
He started to go to her, but she steadied and he held himself back.
Just seeing her ripped the scabs off his wounds, made his insides ache. No matter how important she was to him, he needed more than she was willing to give. She’d proved that time and again.
He had to stand his ground.
She dug in her pocket and pulled out a box. The jeweler’s box he’d left on the deck.
“Then you should take this.”
James watched her set the box on the counter. Her fingers shook and she slid them into her pants pockets. Her gaze lifted to his. The unhappiness he saw there undid everything but the need to comfort her.
He crossed the room to stand in front of her, stared down at her, and couldn’t resist touching her cheek.
His body screamed that this was Melissa and why wasn’t he pulling her to him? Showing her how much he wanted her? How happy he was to see her? He managed to restrain himself to brushing his fingertips over her smooth skin.
“Why are you here, Melissa?”
She trembled, giving testament to how much coming here had cost her emotionally. Her eyes closed, and she swayed slightly into his touch. “I told you.”
“Tell me again.”
Her lower lip disappeared into her mouth. “I want you with me when I have my ultrasound.”
She wanted him with her. Not just that she was having it and he could tag along if he wanted. Progress.
“I’ll be there.” If it ripped his insides apart, and it damned well might, he would be there. “What else?”
She blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You didn’t drive an hour to ask me to go to your ultrasound.” Saying the words gave them credence. She could have called, but hadn’t.
“I was in town for my appointment with Dr McGowan, but—” she met his gaze “—I wanted to see you.”
His heart flopped in his chest like a fish out of water.
“Why?” Deep down he knew the answer, but wanted to hear her say the words out loud. Needed to hear her say them.
“I miss you.”
Yes.
“We barely saw each other,” he reminded her perversely. “Between the nights I stayed in Nashville and your work schedule, I’m surprised you noticed I was gone.”
She leaned toward him, pressed her palms against his chest. “I noticed.”
His pulse raced so rapidly he expected someone to wave black-and-white checkered flags at any moment. Having her touch him, even through his scrubs, made him feel like a winner. It also reminded him of what he’d lost, yet he wouldn’t yield, not on something so important.
“I want you to come home.”
His heart said yes. His lips said, “No.”
She must have known his heart, because her eyes widened in surprised hurt. “You never gave me reason to think you were unhappy. Not until the night before you left. Why won’t you come home?”
“My home is in Nashville. It always has been.” He pulled back, stepping away from her closeness before her sweet vanilla scent caused him to nuzzle closer. “My moving in with you was never meant to be permanent.”
Thick lashes swept her cheeks. “It wasn’t?”
