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‘Long enough.’ Jessie clung onto her anger, ignoring the weakness she felt at the sight of him. ‘Linc and Ali and Emmy have left, by the way. Just in case you’re interested.’
He gave her a dismissive nod. ‘If there’s nothing else, I’m busy here. I don’t have time to chit-chat.’
Jessie sucked in a breath. How dare he talk to her like that?
‘You don’t say.’ She marched up to him, stabbed a finger into his chest. ‘You should have come and said goodbye. You should have apologised to Linc. You hurt him.’
Something flashed into his eyes at the mention of his brother’s name. But then his face went hard again. He grabbed onto her finger, held it away from him, but his voice remained calm. ‘You don’t want to be around me right now. I’m not feeling civilised.’
She heard the menace in his words and pulled her finger free. She didn’t know this man at all. He looked dangerous. He was breathing heavily as if he’d been running, the firm bronzed skin of his chest glistened with sweat, but his eyes were so remote it was frightening.
She took a step back. ‘What happened by the pool? Why was it so hard for you to take the gift?’
Suddenly, she wanted desperately to know, to understand. Where was the man she’d come to care for?
‘Just because we’ve shared a few hot kisses…’ he gave her a slow, deliberate once-over ‘…just because I’d like to see you naked, doesn’t mean you’re my shrink.’
He was trying to upset her. With a flash of insight she saw that he wanted her to run. ‘Why are you being deliberately cruel? It’s not like you.’
‘You don’t know what I’m like.’
Something swirled into his eyes as he turned away. Unhappiness? Pain? Was he hurting, too?
‘Monroe, what is it?’ She walked up behind him. He stood in front of the window, the muscles of his back and shoulders rigid.
‘I’m warning you, Jessie. You need to get out of here.’
He didn’t look round. She studied the thin white scars that marred the smooth, bronzed skin. Reaching up, she hesitated a moment and then stroked her fingers down his spine.
He shot round. ‘Don’t touch me.’
She could see his eyes clearly now. Desperation and confusion burned in the blue depths.
‘Tell me. What is it? Why was it so hard for you to take Linc’s present?’
‘I didn’t know how.’ He shouted the words, fisted his hands in frustration and thrust them into his pockets. ‘I’ve never been given a birthday gift before in my whole damn life.’
CHAPTER TEN
ANGER at himself churned like molten lava in Monroe’s gut. Anger and a desire that he was struggling real hard to ignore.
He’d been raw, ragged with emotions he’
d never felt before ever since Linc had handed him the birthday gift two hours ago. And guilt was right slam-bang at the top of the list.
He’d played them all, like an orchestra. He’d done a few odd jobs, befriended the little girl and managed to con them all into thinking he was a good guy—Emmy, Linc, Ali and most of all, Jessie.
Since he’d got out of prison, Monroe’s life had been nomadic. It was the way he liked it. Women had come and gone, friendships had been shallow and fleeting. He didn’t want it to be any different.
But when Linc had held the present out to him, the sparkly wrapping paper glinting in the sunshine, all those foolish old feelings of wanting to have a place to belong had come flooding back. He’d realised in a rush that they’d all accepted him into their home, into their hearts. The yearning that had gripped him at the thought, the desperate need to be accepted, had stunned him. But worse had been the knowledge that he could never have a place here.
Because he wasn’t a good guy, not really.
He was a user. He used people and moved on. That way he didn’t have to be bothered by anyone but himself.
He’d taken Linc’s gift in a daze of confusion and pain. He’d stormed back to the apartment, turned up the stereo to blast level and painted like a madman. But the storm of emotions had continued to churn inside him. And when Jessie had shown up, the only thing he could think was he had to make her run before he took something he could never give back.
She was beautiful, fresh, impulsive and honest. No wonder he wanted her so badly; she was all the things he wasn’t.
