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Pasting a smile on her face, she replied, “Yeah, just before five. We had to close up. Hopefully, she’ll come back tomorrow.”
Closing his eyes, he released a long breath. When he opened them, the dark orbs trained on her. “Cass, I’m so sorry. I planned to tell you.”
Okay, so they were doing this now. “Why?” She didn’t want to hear details. Just the thought of them kissing made her stomach churn. With a painted picture, she wouldn’t be able to hold back the bile.
“I know it sounds dumb, but I didn’t even see it coming. One second I was telling her I’d be glad to compensate her for the gift card and the next she kissed me.”
Tears sprung so quickly to her eyes, she was forced to blink to see. One tear spilled over her lid. She slapped at it.
Ryan lunged forward, his hands outstretched. “Shit. Cassie. I pushed her way. I’m sorry.”
Stumbling back, she blocked his hands. “For what? Stopping?
He froze. “No. For kissing her. For agreeing to the shoot in the first place.”
His words didn’t make sense. Ryan had built a career on photographing half-dressed women, whether they were in bathing suits or negligée. Why would he owe her an apology?
“You can kiss and photograph whomever you want.”
He always had.
His eyes narrowed, studying her. Shivering under his perusal, she hugged herself, chafing her hands up and down her arms. The movement didn’t warm her.
“Not when I want you.”
She shook her head, as if by doing so she could keep his words out. How many years had she wanted to hear him say he wanted her? More than the five she’d been ruined for anyone else. But she never wanted to hear it like this – because he felt guilty for being with someone else.
“You don’t want me, Ryan. Not enough.”
He blinked, then opened his mouth to reply. But she couldn’t let him. She couldn’t listen to whatever excuse he had.
“We’re not together. You don’t owe me an explanation or an apology. Just like you didn’t last time.”Shit.She clamped her mouth shut.
Too late.He’d already heard. Snapping to attention, he asked, “Last time?”
She looked him in the eyes, before quickly shifting her gaze to his left ear.
“Uh uh.” He stopped her before she could respond. “You’re about to lie to me.”
True. But how did he know? She shifted her gaze back to his.
“You do that when you’re about to lie. You look me in the eyes, then look away. You did it the day you told me about Ellie. When I suggested we get married, and you said you didn’t want to marry me.”
She’d meant that. She’d rather spend the rest of her life alone than tied to a man who felt obligated.
She settled for saying, “Neither of us wanted to get married.”
He scoffed. “Speak for yourself. I would’ve gladly —”
“No,” she cried. “Who’s lying now? You couldn’t even make it through one photo shoot without having an orgy. How the hell were you going to be married?”
With his mouth hanging open, he stared back at her.
She sighed. She didn’t want this for them —arguing and accusations. They’d never done this before. “Look Ryan —”
“Who told you that?”
“What?”
