“That was amazing,” she praised in a breathy voice from beneath him.
Bearing the brunt of his weight to keep from squashing her, he kissed her with a tenderness he didn’t recall having ever felt.
Not even with Stephanie, but surely he had once upon a time?
“Hey, Carly?” he whispered against her lips, looking into her glazed-over-with-pleasure eyes.
“Hmm?”
“Anyone told you lately how absolutely beautiful you are?”
Her eyes full of delight, she smiled up at him. “I’ve heard that a few times lately.”
“It’s true.” More true than she’d ever believe, but he’d keep trying to convince her. He kissed her again. “Can we spend the day together? Not tomorrow, although I wish I could. I’m booked in the OR all day. But the following day? You could have Joyce to stay here. We could go downtown, walk by the river, visit the pyramid, whatever you wanted to do.”
The light in her eyes dimmed and she shook her head. “It sounds lovely, but you know I can’t.”
“Joyce would say yes if you asked her. I would pay her, Carly.”
She tensed. “I wouldn’t let you.”
“Why not? I’m the one who wants her to stay,” he pointed out, hoping she’d see things his way. When she remained tense, didn’t say anything, he relented. “We can stay here if that’s the only way you’ll say yes.”
Her tension didn’t ease. Instead, she wiggled, indicating she wanted free from under his body. Stone rolled off, propped himself up on his side and watched as she put her T-shirt back on.
Once in her panties and T-shirt, she faced him. “I told you from that very first night that taking care of my mother came first, that asking Joyce to stay extra wasn’t an option.”
“Because you’re so independent and stubborn.”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s the way things have to be.”
“Because?”
“Because it’s the way things are.”
“The way you choose things to be.”
Her gaze narrowed. “I didn’t choose this, Stone. Nor did I want this, any of this. I warned you from the beginning, told you I wasn’t free for a relationship. You are the one who pushed.”
He sat up, took her hand into his before the situation got out of control. “Somewhere this conversation took a turn it wasn’t meant to take. I want to spend time with you, but am okay if that time is here or somewhere else. I was making suggestions on ways for us to be together.”
Pulling her hand free, she got her yoga pants, put them on, then took a deep breath. “I appreciate that, but it would be better if you didn’t.”
He frowned. “Better for whom?”
“Me. You. My mother.”
He sat up on the side of the bed, searched for his T-shirt. “You think my being here is bad for your mother?”
“It’s not good for her.”
“That’s not what you thought the night I cooked spaghetti,” he reminded her. “You said she ate better for me than she had in weeks. You should let me help you more.”
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “You should go.”
“No.”
Her eyes widened.
He moved across the small room to stand in front of her. “That came out a bit rougher than I meant, but, no, Carly, I’m not leaving. Not like this. I don’t know how things changed from fantastic to tense, but I’m not leaving until things are right between us.”
She didn’t look at him; her shoulders sagged. “I probably just got overly emotional. I’ve not had sex in a long time.”
“How long?”
She didn’t meet his eyes, but admitted, “Over five years.”
Five years. She’d been celibate five years. Because she thought she couldn’t have a life and take care of her mother, too? Or because she’d not been interested in anyone?
“It’s been a while for me, too,” he admitted. Despite going a little crazy with one-night stands immediately after his divorce, he’d settled into a place where sex for the sake of sex hadn’t appealed.
At the jerk of her gaze to his, he continued, “Not five years, but it has been a while, Carly.”
“Why?”
“Why haven’t you had sex in over five years?”
Her gaze narrowed. “You know exactly why.”
“Your mother?” He shook his head. “Not a good reason.”
Her jaw dropped. “How can you say that?”
“Because it’s true. Your mother is just as ill right now as she was this morning and last week and a month ago. Yet, tonight you had sex. Why?”
“Because…because you were here.”