Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,96
Zoe. Period.”
Her hand shook as she reached up and pushed back her hair. He wanted to take her in his arms but knew she needed the space to work through these doubts. “Do you want Devon, too?”
He frowned. “What does Devon have to do with us?”
Anger snapped from her gaze. “A lot, it seems. Especially when you’re giving her flowers and kissing her in public places. I’m not sure what constitutes a relationship with you, but for me, it’s complete monogamy.” A wild laugh escaped her lips. “Honestly, this is my fault—not yours. I knew we were on different paths, but I got caught up in the intensity of it. Of us. I think it’s time we got real with each other.”
Suddenly, he was just as angry as she was. “Let’s back it up. First, I did not give Devon any flowers. I bought one bouquet, and that’s what I brought to you Tuesday night. Second, I told you exactly what happened between Devon and me. We had that one date. When I returned from Adele’s wedding, I left her a message, telling her we needed to talk. She never answered, and we haven’t seen each other since.”
“Except at the supermarket when you kissed her?”
He blew out a breath. “No. I mean, yes, I ran into her at Acme. She asked about the flowers. I told her they were for you and we were serious. She was surprised, said she was happy for me and understood, and gave me a kiss before I could stop it. Then she walked away. There is nothing between Devon and me, Bella. I swear to God.”
She slumped back in the sofa and bowed her head. “I believe you.”
“Good. Monogamy is important to me. You’re important to me. Where did you get this lopsided story from?”
The sigh that left her lips was full of emotion he was suddenly afraid to probe. “Some of the moms at the PTO were telling me that someone they knew saw you and Devon kissing. It didn’t take long to jump to conclusions, especially when they keep constantly telling me you’re not to be trusted for the long term.”
He tamped down the surge of temper. It wouldn’t do any good to freak out over lies and gossip. It never had. He just needed to convince Bella. “It’s not true. I’ve been lonely for a long time,” he said simply, allowing her to see his heart. “I tried many times to see if there were any women who could give me what I was looking for. None came close until you. From the moment we met, it’s only been you.”
She tipped her chin up. Her lower lip trembled. “I feel so many things for you,” she whispered. “But I’m still confused. Worried that this physical chemistry between us may flicker out, and there won’t be enough for you to want to stay.”
He tunneled his fingers through his hair in frustration. “You’re asking for guarantees I keep trying to give you, sweetheart, but you obviously don’t want to believe them.”
She shook her head. “No. I do believe you about Devon.”
“It’s more than Devon. It’s your constant belief that I don’t want this. It’s your reluctance to tell anyone we’re together. When the moms told you about Devon, did you let them know that we’re in a serious relationship?”
“I told them we were dating.”
He nodded. “A casual word. Anything else? Did you come to my defense?”
“Of course!” she said hotly. “But I wanted to talk to you first to see exactly how things played out.”
A fist slammed through his gut. The slowly dawning knowledge that she might always doubt him crippled his heart. “Now you know the truth. So my question is, where do we go from here?”
She jerked back, her features stark. “What do you want?”
Her answer told him what he didn’t want to face. He was 100 percent invested in being the man for her and Zoe, but Bella wasn’t there yet. Maybe she’d never be. Or maybe she needed more time, which was fine, unless she’d always planned to keep him at a safe distance. His reputation concerned her. And though he was damn frustrated by Bridal Style magazine, and Exit Zero, and the women coming on to him, those were things he couldn’t control.
Even worse? They might never stop. Would it eventually erode everything good between them because of her constant doubts? Would she ever truly trust him enough to move forward, or was he going to commit to