Verek (Savage Kings MC - South Carolina #3) - Lane Hart Page 0,58

before he showed up?”

“I-I should probably tell him the truth,” Tessa replies, which is not exactly what I wanted her to say. I wanted her to agree with me and say she wasn’t going to see him.

Since she’s obviously not psychic and doesn’t know my every thought, I tell her, “I don’t want you to go out with him.”

“Really?” Tessa says. “Well, I didn’t want you to disappear for months and not call me. Paul did! Every single day, even though he knew I wouldn’t answer. Because he loves me, and when you love someone, you don’t up and disappear from their life!”

“I told you I was sorry!” I exclaim. “I thought you were better off without me, that I was holding you back from moving on, getting back together with your fiancée.”

“If that’s true, then why are you here now?” she asks.

“Because I missed you and you didn’t move on, so I think you missed me too.”

“Maybe if you had told me before you left that you’re not capable of more than casual sex, I wouldn’t have waited.”

Fuck.

Why the hell did I tell her that? It’s true, yes, but that doesn’t mean I won’t ever be able to love her the way she deserves. Does it? How the fuck can I be sure? It wouldn’t be fair to lead Tessa on when I can’t give her more than a few orgasms.

“Now you know,” I state simply rather than make promises I may not be able to keep.

“Yeah, now I know,” Tessa agrees before she storms off to her room with Lola to get ready for her fucking date.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tessa

* * *

“It’s a beautiful day,” Paul says. “Even if it is a little chilly.”

“Yeah,” I agree as I keep my hands on my fishing pole next to him. Dressed in a thick cashmere sweater, peacoat and jeans, gloves and hat, I’m staying pretty warm.

And now that we’re here, mostly alone with only the prospects standing several feet away out of earshot, it’s probably best that I should be honest with Paul, get everything out in the open now rather than drag it out.

“So, there’s, um, something I should tell you,” I start.

“Yeah? What’s that?’ he asks. “There’s a lot you should tell me,” Paul says with a grin. “I haven’t seen you in eight months!”

“I know, and I’ll try to catch you up, but first, well, Verek’s not a bodyguard like the prospects.”

“Oh really?” he asks, his gaze turning back out into the gentle ocean waves.

“Last night we kissed and did other things together,” I blurt out.

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Paul says.

“You did?”

“He spent the night in your apartment and answered the door without a shirt on this morning, Tessa,” he mutters. “I’m not a complete idiot.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Is it serious?” he asks so softly that I can barely hear him over the waves crashing against the pier.

“No. I don’t think so,” I say, even though how I feel about Verek is serious.

“Then I don’t care,” Paul states simply.

“You don’t care?”

“Baby, I would’ve done anything for a chance to see you this week,” he says, his brown eyes finally meeting mine again. “A chance is all I want. I’m not asking you to change your life now that I’m here in town. That wouldn’t be fair to you. I showed up unannounced knowing things aren’t the same between us. I get it. You gave me your ring back. I know where we stand. There wasn’t any confusion there.”

“Right,” I agree.

“I understand that things have changed, you’ve changed, and there are new people in your life that you didn’t push away. And while it may take some time, hopefully, maybe one day, you’ll remember what was between us and want to kiss me again. After what you went through, the fact that you’re comfortable doing those things with him just makes me think that someday everything could be back to normal with us.”

“So you’re okay with Verek spending the night with me?” I ask in shock.

“That’s your decision. If you’re okay with it, then yes, I am,” Paul says confidently. “Charlotte was worried about you being alone this week. If I can’t be there with you, then at least there’s someone else who is able to make you feel safe.”

“I do feel safe with Verek,” I tell him honestly.

“Then he can have your nights if I can have your days. That’s all I’m asking for,” he says, which is…surprising. And it’s a huge relief because I wasn’t ready to ask Verek