“It’s not that I didn’t trust you.” There was a muted rustle as Megan shifted in her passenger seat.
“So what was it?” Don’t look at her. Don’t reach out to her. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel.
“I was afraid the partners would make you an offer you couldn’t refuse.”
“Just as I said.” Ean’s lips curved in bitter amusement. “You didn’t trust me to keep my word.”
“Ean, I was—”
“But I didn’t just give you my word. I gave you a rental contract, a lease agreement and membership in the local business association.” Ean clenched his teeth to stop his words. What good would they do? They’d gone over this before.
The car was silent for several minutes. Ean braked at another Stop sign, then breathed in relief as he steered his Lexus toward Megan’s block.
“You’re right to be angry.” Megan’s words wobbled with emotion. “I should have believed you. I shouldn’t have allowed my fear to confuse me.”
Ean tried to harden his heart against Megan’s sorrow. He couldn’t. But he couldn’t dig his way out of his own hurt and disappointment, either. Ean parked his car in her driveway.
He wrenched the emergency brake into place before turning to face her. “I thought we were more than bed partners.”
“We were!”
“I told you I was thinking of a future with you. Did you think I was lying?”
“I was confused.” Her voice cracked. Her tears broke free.
Ean turned away before he started crying, too. He shoved his driver’s-side door open and stepped out of the Lexus. He barely noticed the burst of cold air that wrapped around him as he circled his car.
He pulled open the passenger door and extended his free hand. “Come on.”
The feel of Megan’s small, gloved hand in his made him want to hold on forever. Ean released her and stepped back as soon as she was steady on her feet. He fisted his hands to keep from tracing the tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.
Megan swiped away her tears, then looked at him. “Please. Give me another chance, Ean.”
The entreaty in her wet chocolate eyes pierced his heart like an ice pick, over and over and over again.
Ean swallowed twice before attempting to speak. He opened his mouth, then swallowed again. “I can’t keep proving myself to you.”
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“You won’t need to.”
How he wanted to believe her. “You’re ready to trust me this time?”
“Yes.” Megan wiped more tears from her cheeks.
Ean ignored the cold and returned Megan’s regard for a long, silent moment. It would be so easy to pull her into his arms and cover her mouth with his own. His body wanted to touch her, to taste her again. But his heart hadn’t healed from the wound of her distrust.
He stuffed his gloved hands into his jacket pockets. “You’ve said that before.”
Megan blinked, long and slowly, then squared her shoulders. “I understand. It’s my turn to prove myself to you. And I will.”
She walked past him to her front door. Ean watched her enter her home. She’d left the light on in her foyer as usual. He stared blindly at her house before getting back into his car.
Damn it! He’d taken her at her word when she’d said she believed he was home for good. She’d lied. Now she was claiming she could prove she trusted him. What could she possibly do to convince him that their relationship was more than just sex? Really, really great sex.
CHAPTER 36
“Good. You’re here.” Ramona’s pronouncement broke Megan’s concentration.