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No matter how long he stared at her, and she stared back, he couldn’t determine what she was thinking. No expression marred her face. Most women would either be yelling at the top of their lungs or crying in hysterics. She was doing neither—just a blank expression.
“Why did you sleep with me?” Her whispered words broke his heart. That she even asked such a question ripped his soul to shreds.
He clenched his jaw. So many things wanted to spew out. Angry words. An apology. A bit of begging. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing from her. Why would she ask him that? Didn’t his touch tell her why he slept with her?
Yet, she was reducing what transpired between them to nothing but sex. Nothing special. Nothing momentous. Nothing where he thought she might be the woman of his dreams.
He grabbed the box of condoms behind him and tossed them in the trashcan near the door. “I don’t think we’ll be needing those anymore.”
There was work to be done. He had enough of this bullshit.
Heading for the doorway, he stopped before stepping into the hallway. “I’ve never been dishonest with you. Never. And I never would be. That’s not who I am.”
* * *
The momentshe heard her front door slam, the tears rained down. She glanced at the bed, the rumpled sheets laughing at her. She wanted to rewind the last few minutes and go back to the lighthearted teasing and fun-loving Dane. She didn’t like the side of him she witnessed.
Although he had never raised his voice, he hadn’t needed to. Every time he spoke, it came out with venom laced in each word.
She dropped down on the bed and curled into the side he had occupied. Her tears fell as the silence threatened to choke her.
What happened? How did they go from the sweet bliss of lovemaking to fighting with each other?
She believed him. She should’ve never said that she didn’t believe he forgave her. Of course, he wouldn’t lie to her.
He was an honorable man. She knew this. Only working one week with him told her that. He worked hard. Sure, he treated other employees abruptly. Yet, with underlying respect. She didn’t think he was being rude on purpose; he was simply too focused on his work that his words came out clipped.
And the clients. If they asked a difficult question that would not help in his favor, he still answered with honesty. He would never lie to a client to make his way in the business. The few phone calls she had been a part of—dictating every word said—she could hear the awe and respect in the client’s voice at his honesty.
Her eyes started to hurt, her nose stuffy and snotty. She couldn’t stop the tears. A sharp ache in her head formed. Why had she screwed everything up?
Always screwing things up, especially with men. This was why she never managed to maintain a healthy relationship. She either dated losers or screwed it up in some way that could have been prevented. She had no one to blame but herself.
She could’ve just told him about Mia. She should’ve.
But she had her reasons. One being it was too painful to talk about. Another being it wasn’t her story to tell. And those reasons for the first time had proved to be disastrous.
The people who knew always looked at Mia differently, even her at times. They judged. They condemned. It was a natural reaction for most people. Or they felt pity. The pity was the worst for Mia. She hated it.
A loud hiccup echoed in the quiet room. She should call Jaxson. He would be over in an instant. He would comfort her and tell her she didn’t need that jerk. That it was none of his business.
But if she expected things from Dane, he would expect things back. That made it his business when he asked.
How would he react if she told the whole story? Her reasons why she always—always—did anything for Mia.
She feared his reaction. She feared it so much, she let him walk out without fighting for him.
Jaxson was the only person she knew, besides her parents, who hadn’t reacted with anything but support. He didn’t judge. He didn’t show pity. He barely said a word, which had helped when she explained everything. But he had shown her in one simple look that none of it mattered.
She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder.
Oh, that touch.
She never thought she’d feel his soft touch again. Relaxing, a low sigh escaped as she relished in Dane’s solid hand doing nothing but holding her softly. She turned toward him, tears still silently streaming down her face.
“Why are you crying?” Dane asked in a whisper as he moved his hand from her shoulder to wipe the tears from cheeks.
“I thought you left. I heard the door slam.”
