Ramona stopped in the center of the living room and looked around. “It probably seems that way because you have two floors.”
It seems that way because it’s true. Ean followed her into the living room. “What are you doing here?”
Ramona turned to face him. “I brought you a housewarming present. Me.”
She unbelted her coat and allowed it to fall to the ground. Ramona was barely clothed in matching skimpy, see-through smoky black bra and panties, that left nothing to the imagination. Her figure was even more enticing today than it had been seven years before. But Ean preferred to make love to the person, not the body. And Ramona didn’t appeal to him as she once had.
Ean met her gaze. This was awkward. “I’m flattered by your offer, but no, thank you.”
A myriad of reactions chased across Ramona’s fair features—confusion, disbelief and shock—before she settled on anger.
“What?” Her octaves could peel the paint from the walls. “I’m not offering you cheese.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“I don’t think you are.” She twisted open the front clasp of her bra, then peeled the cups apart. Her creamy breasts bounced free. Ramona allowed the scrap of fabric to land silently on the ground.
“Put your clothes back on.”
She stepped forward. “Make me.”
Ean clamped his hands around her upper arms and held her still. “I’m not playing games, Ramona. You and I are through.”
“No, we’re not. You came back to Trinity Falls for me.”
“No, I didn’t.” What made her think that?
“You may not realize it yet, but you did. I know you were lonely in New York. I never should have left you. But we can go back together and you won’t be lonely anymore.”
Ean stared at her. “Ramona, I don’t know how you made those conclusions. I came back to Trinity Falls because it’s my home and I’m staying here. If you want to move to a big city, talk with Quincy. He’s interviewing for a job in Philadelphia.”
“What is wrong with you?” Ramona ripped free of Ean’s grasp. “Why are you throwing away everything that we had? Who cares about Philadelphia? We were going to make it big in New York.”
Ean crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve accomplished all I needed to in New York. If you’d like a shot at the city, be my guest. But I’m not going with you.”
Her eyes flared with fury. “You don’t have anything to keep you here. Your father’s dead and your mother’s sleeping with your high school football coach.”
Ean hung onto his tattered temper with both hands. “Get dressed. And get out.”
He held Ramona’s glare with his own until she broke eye contact and snatched her coat off his carpet.
With stiff movements, Ramona put on the coat and belted it. “You’re a fool.”
“Are you done?” He couldn’t take seriously criticism from a woman without the courage to go for her own dreams.
Ramona tightened the belt around her waist. “You’ll never be happy here. You can’t be. Trinity Falls couldn’t hold you when you were eighteen. What makes you think you can come back to it now?”
When Ean didn’t respond, Ramona shoved past him. The gesture didn’t even rock him on his heels. He tracked Ramona’s progress to his back door. She slammed the door so hard, he wondered it didn’t crack the window beside it. With any luck, this would be his last awkward encounter with her. And, hopefully, she’ll set her sights on someone else. Quincy might be just the calming influence she needed.
“It smells wonderful.” Megan didn’t try to hide her surprise. She leaned against one of the counters in Ean’s kitchen, sipping iced tea with plenty of lemons, just the way she liked it.
“Thanks.” Ean smiled over his shoulder. Her heart sighed.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”
“I’ve got it.”
Fine. Then she’d just enjoy the view, which was also very fine. Muscles moved across Ean’s broad back under his black jersey as he stirred the pasta sauce. The image reminded her of the feel of his strength under her fingers last night.