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Besides, Cate already had her answer. Harry liked women. Harry liked sex. Harry even liked Cate. But he had been painfully clear about his intentions. He wasn’t in the market for anything permanent. And even though Cate’s carefully planned dreams for her future had come crashing down, she stillwantedpermanence. She still wanted a love that would last for decades.
Cate had made huge mistakes in her relationship with Jason. Surely, she wasn’t going to let herself be so foolish again.
She met Harry’s gray-eyed gaze. “I’m thinking about it,” she said. That was as honest as she could be. “I need more time.”
He exhaled sharply, as if her answer disappointed him. “Fair enough.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Go to bed, Catie-girl. We don’t have to figure this out tonight. I’ll be waiting when you’re ready.”
Cate barely slept. How could she? Prescott Harrington expected to sleep with her. As soon as she worked up her courage.
Or, on the other hand, a simpleno, and he would back off. Gentleman’s honor.
What she really wanted was to be swept up in the moment. That way,thingswould happen organically, and she wouldn’t have to make up her mind.
How spineless was that?
She and Harry didn’t cross paths at breakfast. He had obviously been up early and made coffee. By the time Cate was awake and dressed and had used a careful application of concealer to eradicate the dark circles under her eyes, it was almost nine. The kitchen was empty. She made herself eat toast and drink juice, but the small meal rumbled in her stomach.
Harry—using both crutches—was in a curiously sour mood when he appeared. “I’m going to drive us into town,” he said.
His tone dared her to argue, but Cate did anyway. “Oh, no you’re not. It hasn’t even been forty-eight hours. And aren’t you taking pain meds?”
“Not anymore.”
They walked outside together. “Well, you still can’t drive,” she said. “Get in the car, and let’s go.”
His scowl was darker than a summer storm cloud. His hands clenched in fists at his sides. “You can’t stop me,” he said, the words flat and angry. The truculent tone wasn’t like him at all. Maybe his night had been no more restful than Cate’s.
This was the kind of tricky situation that required the finesse of a bomb squad. She gnawed her lip, searching for wisdom. “Harry,” she said. “I care about you a lot. I want to protect your leg. Please let me drive.”
She went to him and rested her cheek against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. His heart pounded rapidly. And was that a faint tremor in his big, masculine frame?
The sun shone hot on top of her head. Dogs barked nearby. Harry smelled yummy, like he had just stepped out of the shower. His quiet strength wooed her, even without words.
Did Harryneedher? Was that what drew Cate to him? She’d always had a tendency to rescue people.
Her relationship with Jason hadn’t been like that at all. Jason was outgoing and confident. He hadn’t needed Cate in any way, really. Maybe that should have been a clue to her that they were in a relationship for the wrong reasons.
Harry was such an enigma. He’d been angry with her once when she said everything he’d always wanted had dropped into his lap. Now that she knew more about his formative years, she realized how wrong she had been.
At that same moment on her wedding day, she had told him she hated him.
Why had she said it? It wasn’t true, not at all.
She had been lashing out in her pain, embarrassed that she needed rescuing.
Suddenly, it seemed very important to correct her mistake.
She pulled back and shielded her eyes with one hand. “Idon’thate you, Harry. Ineverhated you. I was such a mess that day, and your life seemed perfect. I’m sorry for saying such an awful thing. Will you forgive me?”
The fight went out of him. She felt it in the huge exhale that whooshed out of his chest. He cupped the back of her head and stroked her hair. “No worries, Catie-girl.” He kissed her forehead. “I knew it wasn’t true. Who could hate a peach of a guy like me?”
The self-mocking smile broke her heart just a little bit. In that moment, he seemed so alone.
“I’ll be careful with your car, I swear.”
“I know that. Forget what I said. Let’s go.”
She wanted to explore his bad mood, but maybe it was better not to know. The three-minute trip into town was short and sweet. Without Harry’s injury, they could have walked.
