Secretly Yours (The Wild McBrides 2) - Page 54

“How can I reach you?”

Trent recited his number, which Cordero scribbled in a small notebook he’d pulled from his pocket. Replacing it, he looked at Trent again. “It was…interesting meeting you both. And now if you’ll move your truck, I’ll be on my way.”

Trent didn’t much care for the dry amusement in Cordero’s voice, but he merely nodded and moved his vehicle out of the way. By the time he’d parked again and got back out, Annie was already stepping into her own car, obviously hoping to leave without further conversation. He moved quickly to stand by her open door. “Wait.”

“I have to go.”

“I need to talk to you.”

She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I think you said enough yesterday. Please, Trent, I want to go home. I’m tired.”

She looked more than tired. For the first time since he had met her, she looked defeated. And Trent was miserably aware that it was his fault. “About what I said yesterday…”

“Don’t worry, I got the point. You want me to leave you alone. I assume you don’t want me to show up to clean your place tomorrow, and I won’t expect you at mine. See you around, Trent. Maybe,” she added, and shut the door before he could stop her.

Maybe this was best, he thought as he watched her drive too quickly away. Maybe ending it now, cleanly and without equivocation, was the best thing to do. It was what he wanted, wasn’t it? No further entanglements with the confused little rich girl who’d stumbled so inexplicably into his life and changed so much. That way it wouldn’t hurt nearly as much when she finally grew tired of working so hard and went back to the wealth she’d known before.

He wouldn’t follow her. She was perfectly all right without him. Hadn’t he just made a fool of himself again in front of her, practically attacking a man who’d only wanted to talk about a contracting job? She didn’t need his protection, didn’t need his surly companionship, didn’t need him for anything.

He only wished he wasn’t so sure that he very desperately needed her.

12

ANNIE HAD HARDLY walked into her house when Trent showed up at the door. Since she had more than half expected him, she wasn’t overly surprised, but she was nervous about opening the door to him. Why was he here? To apologize—or to break her heart all over again?

She didn’t know if she could take it again without falling to pieces in front of him, something she’d been trying so very hard not to do. Couldn’t he leave her with at least a shred of pride?

“What do you want now?” she asked wearily, blocking the entrance to her house.

“May I come in?”

It suddenly occurred to her that for once, he was being carefully polite and she was being brusquely rude. Since the role reversal didn’t seem to be accomplishing anything, she sighed and stepped out of the way, figuring she might as well find out what he wanted.

“Well?” she said when he had closed the door behind him.

He was standing very straight, but she suspected it was pride rather than pain holding him so stiffly this time. She wrapped her arms around her waist as she faced him, trying to read his expression. Since he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to say anything, she searched for words to fill the painful silence. “You said you wanted me to go away. Did you come to help me pack?”

“I came to apologize to you. I was out of line yesterday.”

“Apology accepted.” She motioned toward the door, hoping he would leave before her pent-up tears escaped. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“I’m not leaving yet.”

She’d been afraid he was going to say that. She nodded resignedly toward the couch. “Then would you like to sit down?”

“No.” He took a step closer to her and laid his hands on her shoulders. Something in his eyes made her tremble as she gazed up at him, her heart filled with a combination of fear and longing. “Annie, I—damn it.”

He smothered her mouth beneath his before she had a chance to ask what he meant.

The kiss was deep, and so intense it was almost painful. Annie found herself hoping it would never end. Trent couldn’t kiss her like this and ever pretend again that he didn’t care, she told herself with sudden hope. This wasn’t the kiss of a man who really wanted her to go away. Could it be the kiss of a man who was afraid to hope she would stay?

When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were filled with more emotion that she had ever seen in them. She couldn’t quite read them, but she thought they were the same tumultuous feelings crashing around inside her. “Annie, I—”

Whatever he had intended to say—and she wanted very badly to hear it—was interrupted by a heavy knocking on the door. Trent’s head went around sharply, reminding her for all the world of a guard dog hearing a suspicious noise. Nothing at all like poor Bozo, of course, who was more likely to hide and quiver in response to the first scary sound.

“Maybe I’d better get that,” Trent said, dropping his hands. “You stay here until I find out who it is.”

“It’s my door. I’ll answer it,” she answered firmly, determined to convince him that she could take care of herself. His protectiveness was—well, it was sweet—but before they went any further, she had to break him of this bad habit of telling her what to do. “Why don’t you make a pot of coffee, and check on Bozo. We’ll talk after I find out who’s at the door.”

Tags: Gina Wilkins The Wild McBrides Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net
readsnovelonline.net Copyright 2016 - 2024