Scandalous Engagement

Reese glanced from the phone back to her. “I was just looking at the announcement online. We look good.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a delicious view from this angle.

“We do,” she agreed.

The tension in that vast gap between them was charged and Reese felt it best to keep a good distance. If he got too close, he’d want to touch her, hold her, tell her every reason why they should be together, but she had to come to that realization on her own.

“I know you think it’s a good idea to keep going,” she started. “But I can’t marry you, Reese.”

So they were still at that stalemate. Fine. He was a patient man and Josie was worth waiting for.

“You have to understand,” she added.

“I understand you’re afraid. I understand this isn’t what you had planned, but you have to see that none of this is new.”

She jerked like he’d surprised her. “Not new? We’ve only been faking this for two weeks and we’ve crammed quite a bit into that short time frame. It’s all quite new.”

He couldn’t stand the distance anymore. Reese came down the steps and stood at the bottom of the landing, his eyes meeting hers across the way. She still wore that red dress, those red lips. She still took his breath away whether she had on black, red or nothing at all.

“None of this is new,” he explained. “Everything between us has always been there. We are just now bringing it to the surface.”

Her arms dropped to her sides as she shook her head. Her fear and hesitancy made him want to reach for her, but he also recognized he needed to give her some space.

She glanced down to her hand as she toyed with the ring. He stared, knowing what was coming, hoping he was wrong.

But she slid the ring off and held it out in her palm. When her eyes came up to meet his, there was no way she could hide the unshed tears.

“I’m not taking it back,” he told her. “I bought it for you.”

“You never bought me something this expensive for my birthday before.”

He stared at her for another minute, but knew which battle he wanted to fight. He didn’t want to be a jerk about this, and she obviously needed time to think. Fine. He’d hold it for her until she was ready.

Sliding the ring into his pocket, he extended his hand.

“How about we head up to the rooftop, take a bottle of champagne and relax?” he suggested. “We’ve both had a rough few weeks and I could use some quiet.”

She looked at his hand, then back to his face; her brows drew in as she cocked her head.

“That’s it?” she asked. “We’re just going to move past the fact that you wanted to marry me and now we’re going back to being buddies that fast?”

Damn woman was confusing him...and herself, which was probably a good thing. If she was confused, then that meant her mind wasn’t completely made up.

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” he asked. “I still need my best friend. Do I want more? Of course. But I’m not pushing you out of my life simply because we don’t agree on the future.”

Her lips curved into a grin as she reached for his hand. “One glass,” she told him. “And no sex.”

She was killing him.

“That dress was made for sex,” he informed her, leading her to the elevator.

As they stepped into the elevator, she slid her hand from his. “I can’t, Reese. As much as I want you physically, I can’t risk my heart. I need a clean break from this, or someone is going to end up hurt.”

Too late. Her rejection stung, but he wasn’t giving up and he had to believe she wanted more and was just too worried to grab hold of what was right in front of her.

Her actions said more than her words ever could.

She’d stepped out of her structured life to take a chance with him; she’d worn the red dress, the red lipstick...she did want to be bold and brave, but he knew she was afraid.