The Bachelor (Chandler Brothers 1)

Her question confirmed Rick’s claim and Roman’s fears, that he was hurting her with mixed signals, and for that he owed her an explanation. But she didn’t give him a chance to respond.

“Or maybe that’s what you like—the chase. The forbidden. Maybe you’re one of those men who doesn’t want something once it’s too easy.” She shook her head. “And damn but I made it easy.” Her face flushed crimson with the memory of what happened between them in the dressing room of her store.

He caught her wrist on one of her walk-bys and held her in place until she met his gaze, her green eyes focused solely on his.

“You think I don’t want you?” he bit out through clenched teeth.

“I haven’t seen any evidence to the contrary.”

Her words were the equivalent of a dare, arousing his baser instincts. All good intentions aside, she’d pushed him to the edge and over. He stepped forward, backing her against the wall until their bodies aligned. No way could she miss the evidence of his desire any more than he could ignore her distended nipples, pointy and hard against his chest. Without waiting for a response, he bent his head for a kiss—a tongue-tangling, dueling kiss that was as mutual as it was hot.

Breaking the moment between them took all the resolve he had but he lifted his head. “How’s that for evidence?” He asked, still breathing heavily.

She sucked in a heavy breath, then pushed herself back. “Okay, Roman. No more games.”

The last thing he intended was to play with her emotions, but every time she was near, his own feelings rampaged out of control, causing him to act contrary to common sense.

“What do you want with me?” She rubbed her hands up and down her skin, as if she could cradle herself in warmth and comfort.

He let out a groan. “What I want and what I can take are two different things.” They’d finally gotten to the crux of the matter. “I’m not staying in town,” he said, softer now, lowering his voice, speaking the one truth he knew would push her away. No matter how much it hurt him to do it.

“I know.” She bit down on her lower lip, gnawing the plump skin between her teeth. “And I wish my father had been as honest with my mother.”

Her words caught Roman off guard. He knew only what the rest of town knew—that Russell Bronson had breezed out of Yorkshire Falls, abandoning his wife and young child. He returned at intermittent intervals, stayed for a while, only to take off again. Roman also knew the abandonment caused both women much pain. Something he never wanted or intended to do.

He reached out and touched Charlotte’s cheek. “It’s not the same thing.”

“That’s because I’d know going in there’s no long-term commitment involved. Otherwise it’d be exactly the same.”

Her voice was husky and emotion-filled, reaching deep down and touching Roman’s heart. It had been a long time since anyone or anything struck such an emotional chord inside him. Not since his father’s death and the early years of his mother’s grief, and Roman instinctively rebelled against the welling feelings.

Unfortunately, the chord, once struck, reverberated with intensity and truth. And he didn’t like being lumped in a category that held the town’s deadbeat dad and wandering husband, the man who’d hurt Charlotte badly.

“I’d never dishonor my commitments that way.” But as Roman spoke, he realized that was exactly what he’d planned to do.

Get married, impregnate his wife, and get out. Exactly what Charlotte’s father had done to her mother. Roman had just been too self-absorbed by the life change ahead of him to consider what his actions would or could do to the woman he involved.

He shook his head, disgusted. Even if his motives were unselfish, for his mother’s good and not his own, his actions were destined to hurt someone just the same. He swallowed a curse. Seen through Charlotte’s eyes, Charlotte’s past, his plans were disgraceful.

But the family obligation and his mother’s need remained. Roman could only hope his same plan, as selfish as he now realized it was, would be viewed differently by a woman who didn’t fear abandonment, who understood the way things had to be going in, and who wanted a child but not necessarily the typical family scenario too. Charlotte wouldn’t understand or accept. Another woman might. But if Roman didn’t get Charlotte out from under his skin as soon as possible, his promise to his brothers was in jeopardy.

“I know you’re not sticking around,” she said. “I knew that when I … when I approached you. But getting you out of my system—that has nothing to do with long-term. I don’t want a commitment from you. I wasn’t asking for one.”

“But you’d resent me in the end. It’s not in you to accept less, and I can’t give more. I’m not the kind of man you need. The stay-around-forever kind of guy.” He shook his head. “Us getting involved would be foolish. And painful.” For both of them. “No matter how much we wish otherwise.”