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I sigh, knowing that I should answer it but hating the need to. Hating the itchy feeling I get just thinking about it, let alone talking about it.
“I was best friends with him in school.”
“Which makes it stranger that you seem to hate him so much.” Her brown eyes are sharp, her lips turned down in a frown.
“He also knew my wife and he told me not to marry her. Said she slept around and we got in a huge fight. I punched him and we just stopped being friends.”
“Which part hurt worse,” she asks quietly. “The fact that he said it to you or the fact that he was right?”
I suck in a breath. “Dagger right to the heart, baby girl. Yeah, it was the part where he was right and I was an idiot. That’s the part that hurt. That and the fact that she stole from me to run off with another man. That stung pretty bad too.”
She stands and comes to a stop before me and her arms slide around me. Her head tucks under my chin, resting on my heart. The same heart that’s racing out of control just being near her. “I’m sorry she did that to you. Some people just don’t deserve your love.”
I can hear a wistful note behind her words. “I feel like you know exactly what I’m talking about. Who broke your heart, little dove? And should I hunt him down and beat the hell out of him for you?”
Her hair brushes my chin when she shakes her head, sighing. “Not worth it. I just hope I never have to see him again.”
“Why?”
“He doesn’t exactly know how to take no for an answer.”
Fury builds up like a thunderstorm lashing at my soul. Who could hurt this woman and then think it was alright just to keep doing it?
“I’ve met that kind of man. They don’t give up easily. Are you sure he’s got the message.”
Her head tilts up and her silky hair slides across my arms wrapped around her. Catching my breath, I struggle to keep my dick behaving. I can’t touch her now. She’s sharing her pain with me. It would be obscene to touch her now.
“Why do you think I’m here? I need this escape more than anything right now.”
I lean down and my lips hover over hers, waiting to see what she does. Her hand lifts and yanks at my neck, pulling me down until my lips meet hers in a slow, smooth kiss that makes my heart stop.
Nipping at my bottom lip, she licks the bite and then her mouth caresses mine lightly, pressing deeper until I can’t stop myself.
Yanking her to me, I sink into her soft sweetness, feeling years of regret and pain wash away with that one damn kiss.
She moans and her head drops back but I step back, willing my body under control. Willing my hands to let her go. She stumbles and I catch her before she falls.
“I’m sorry, baby girl. I should never have touched you. It’s been too long, I guess.”
She flushes a dark pink. “That’s the only reason you want me? It’s been too long for you?”
“No, of course not. You’re a beautiful woman. But you deserve a helluva lot more than a broken-down cowboy who doesn’t have a heart to give you. Who lost it so long ago, he’s been walking through life since then.”
Her eyes soften. “I won’t hurt you like she did, Clay. I’m not her. I can be good for you.”
I shake my head and jerk away, feeling what’s left of my heart drop to the ground at her dainty feet.
“I can’t do that to you. You’re worth so much more than me.”
I turn and walk away, my body aching to touch her, to hold her. Just to be with her.
But I can’t. I’ve known since Ronnie left that she broke me and that man doesn’t deserve a sweetheart like Angel.
I’d just hurt her. I’m no good for any woman anymore.
CHAPTER7
Angelica
