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No way was he going anywhere. If this wasn’t a breakup, it couldn’t wait another second. And if this was a breakup, he needed to be here to thwart it.
“Hell no. I want to hear what you have to say. Please, finish your thought.”
She nodded, swallowing hard, her eyes serious, and still she held on to his shirt like she needed him close. Or maybe that was just his hope overriding everything else.
“Relationships aren’t anything like business deals. They’re convoluted, and things are never what they seem. People lie, and they have hidden motives for everything, only by the time you realize it, you’ve already mentally planned half your wedding and you’re left feeling like a fool.” She spoke so fast, some of her words ran together.
Dylan’s heart broke for her.Already mentally planned half her wedding?Had some asshole left her at the altar? She had a fearful look in her eyes, like a bird perched on a wire debating fight or flight. Refusing to let her stand on that wire alone, he put his hands firmly around her waist, and when she tried to put space between them, he tightened his hold. He tucked away the information that she’d been in love before and focused on what was most important.
“You’ve been hurt.” It wasn’t a question. He wanted her to know he understood. He heard her confession even though she probably didn’t realize she’d said it. As much as he wanted to know the details of what happened, he sensed she was nowhere near ready to go there.
“I’m not like you,” she said with renewed anger, which he attributed to further embarrassment for his reading between the lines. “I’d never put up with a guy hanging on to his phone like a security blanket or giving away the flowers I gave him.”
He cocked a brow. “You gave them away?”
“To my father,” she said sharply. “Don’t you see? You’re this crazy, wonderful mix of brawny, tool-belt-wearing, caring guy next door, and—”
“Guy upstairs,” he said to try to lighten the air.
She rolled her eyes, but at least he saw the hint of a smile. “See? You’re light and fun, and Ican’t…I don’t even know how tobea regular girl anymore.”
“You’re right. There’s nothing regular about you, which is a good thing.” He tugged her in closer, feeling her heart beating frantically and aching inside because she’d obviously been trounced on by some asshole. “You’re all woman, Summers.”
“No, I’m not. I’m like a woman on steroids most of the time, and I don’t remember how to flirt or how to enjoy flowers or candy, or”—her tone softened, and a rose hue colored her cheeks—“how to respond to sexy notes left in a calendar, or promises ofmore thanten.”
There you are. Beneath the anger, beneath the fear, was the woman who he imagined would have looked him in the eyes and said she’dshow hima ten, if he hadn’t had an apartment full of people.
“Summers, whoever hurt you didn’t break you. He made you stronger. Didn’t I promise you we’d figure out what type of woman you are together?”
“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes. “Another line.”
Her attitude was back in full swing, and he found that comforting. That’s who she was. Hot, sexy, full of alluring attitude. Or at least it was part of who she was, and he liked that part a lot.
“One day you’ll realize I don’tdolines. So you’re not a flower girl or someone who knows how to take a compliment that isn’t about your business prowess. You’re more complicated and intense than most people, and that makes you,you, Summers.” He smiled and pressed his lips to hers. She went rigid in his arms. He was pushing her with the kiss, but that was okay. She needed that, too, just like he needed to tell her exactly what was going through his mind, despite the anguish over his brother seeing her gorgeous, naked body and despite how hard she’d tried to push him away. Dylan only knew how to be the man he was, open, honest, and a talker.
“Only now you’re notSummers, either.” He paused to try to get his thoughts straight. “You’re all closed up like a tightly wound bud looking for the sun. Let me be your sun.”
“God, those lines.” She laughed and rolled her eyes again.
“Thosetruths,” he countered, earning a tentative smile, and just as quickly, her face grew serious.
“Dylan, you’re nothearingme.” She spoke slowly and clearly, as if that would help him to understand what he already knew. “I don’t knowhowto be the type of woman a man would want beyond…sex.”
“That’syour problem, Summers. You think you have to change, and you don’t. You think I’m judging you, or the world’s judging you, and maybe they are in your professional life, but I’m not judging you. I don’t have a predetermined idea of who you need to be. Hell, if I did, you’d break through those confines in about three seconds.”
“Right.” She gave him a deadpan stare. “So you weren’t thinking I was an ungrateful bitch when I didn’t fall at your feet after you left me such sweet gifts?”
He laughed. “No, because while you were realizing you’re not a flower girl or a chocolate girl, or whatever else, I was realizing I’m not the white knight I thought I was. I don’t think either of us needs to change who we are. Relationships don’t work because people change. They work because two people want to be together, and one’s strengths complements the other’s weaknesses. Ilikewho you are. It’s pretty awesome not needing to fix or save you, and just being able to enjoy you. But soon all this great sex and intrigue will hit a wall. To go further, we have to get to know each other on a deeper level. If you want that, if you want me, you have to let me in.”
“So Idoneed to change,” she countered.
“No. You didn’t let me finish. I don’t want you to change. Work as much as you like. Answer that crazy-ass phone of yours every three seconds if you want to. All I want is to experiencemoreof you. I want to figure out what you like and what you hate and what makes you blush and scream and roll those gorgeous green eyes of yours. And I want to see you in action at work and feel the rush of adrenaline I know you get when you’re putting deals together. I want to learn what you’re passionate about. And even though this makes me sound like a pansy, just realizing that I want to know those things is forcing me to learn more about myself, too.”
“Dylan.” Her eyes were full of emotion. Not lust or anger. Just a multitude of real, confusing, heartfelt emotions that nearly took Dylan to his knees.
“I always thought it was my job as a man to fix, and cater to, and figure out who women were. Basically, to overachieve as a boyfriend. But being with you is teaching me how wrong I was. I think we both need to let our guard down, so I would like to suggest a deal.” He smiled, and she laughed.
“First of all,” she said sternly. “I don’t need any man figuring out who I am. If I can’t figure it out, you sure as hell can’t.”
