his pity. She didn’t want anything from him except what he owed their baby. Which was the way it should have been right from the start, before she’d allowed herself to believe in fairy tales.
Still, there was no time like the present to set things straight. Chin high, she twisted the lock open.
RHYS FELT THE DOOR give beneath his fist, then Charlie was standing there, her face pale and tear blotched, arms wrapped tightly across her chest.
“I do have neighbors, you know,” she said.
“I want to explain.”
“You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
She was very calm. Very controlled. But behind the blankness in her eyes he knew she was hurting. That he’d hurt her.
“Yes, I do, Charlie.”
“It’s none of my business. We don’t own each other. We made a baby together. That’s the end of our mutual obligation.”
“What you saw today was a first date. And I went on it only because I was trying to get you out of my head.”
Her chin jerked back a little.
“Not very noble, I know,” he said. “But there it is. I was pissed after the park the other day and I ran into Heather and… It was a mistake, Charlie. A stupid, dumb mistake.”
She lifted a shoulder in a fair imitation of an unconcerned shrug. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to that.”
He took a step closer, crossing the threshold. Her chin came up even higher, but she held her ground.
“How about ‘Rhys, I can’t get you out of my head, either’?”
She started shaking her head before he’d even finished speaking. But he hadn’t expected this to be easy. Charlie would never give up her secrets without a fight.
“Does that mean you don’t think about me?”
She stared at him then her gaze dropped to his shoulder. “It means I don’t see the point of this conversation.”
“That’s what you said at the park, too.” He took another step toward her. This time she retreated. “Tell me why we shouldn’t talk about our feelings for each other, Charlie. Tell me why that’s pointless.”
For the first time he saw emotion behind the mask—surprise, swiftly followed by denial.
“Because of the baby. Because things are complicated enough.”
“I don’t care.”
She seemed startled by his instant rebuttal.
“I used to think that stuff was important, Charlie, but it isn’t. You’re important—very important—to me. I want you to be happy. I want to make you happy.”
She blinked, as though she couldn’t comprehend what he’d said. She looked so lost, so bewildered that he couldn’t stop himself from reaching for her.
“Charlie, I’m sorry. You have no idea how much.” He tried to draw her into his arms, but she placed a hand on his chest, her elbow locked straight to keep him at a distance.
“This is a bad idea.”
“I used to think so, but I’m starting to think it might be the best idea I’ve ever had.”
“What about when things go wrong?”
“What if they don’t? What if they go right?”
Her breath left her on a shuddery exhale and for a moment—the barest fraction of a second—there was so much yearning in her eyes it broke his heart. She opened her mouth to say something—to reject him again, no doubt—but he spoke over her.
“Don’t you ever get sick of fighting, Charlie?”
He saw the answer in her eyes. He slid his hand from the nape of her neck to the curve of her jaw.
“You don’t need to fight me. I swear it.”
She closed her eyes. The arm keeping him at bay relaxed. He didn’t wait for a second invitation. He pulled her close and kissed her the way he’d been wanting to for weeks. There was the smallest of hesitations then she kissed him back, her body straining toward his almost desperately. She tasted of salty tears and need and he tightened his arms around her, wanting to take away the pain he’d caused her, needing to make things right between them. He tried to slow the kiss, to control it, but Charlie tugged his shirt from his jeans, smoothing her hands up his chest, her hips pressing against his urgently, provocatively.
Everything else fell away as he walked forward until her back hit the wall. There was only him, and her. Still devouring her mouth, he slid a hand onto her breast, his thumb finding her already-hard nipple unerringly. Her fingers dug into his chest as he pinched her then soothed her. His other hand moved to cup her backside, resting her more snugly against his hips. They rocked together, savoring the