Page 57 of Cornered

He waited, and she realized that he was giving her time to tell him no. Sheshouldtell him no. Having him hold her would be a mistake. So why wasn’t she saying anything?

His hands closed over her upper arms and he pulled her back against his chest. His chin rested on her head and his arms wrapped around her. The hold was familiar. He was a big guy, and she relaxed into the safety of his embrace.

She wished she knew why he’d ended things between them. When he’d told her they would be better off as friends, he’d been so calm, so gentle, but so firm in his decision that she hadn’t been able to argue with him. At first she was completelystunned. Then the hurt and humiliation seeped through her so fast that she could barely breathe through the pain of it.

He didn’t know, of course, but when he said he wanted to talk to her that night, she’d been expecting a very different conversation. She wasn’t expecting a marriage proposal, but she thought the conversation would be about exclusivity and commitment.

Instead, he told her he was so happy to have gotten to know her and that he knew this was ultimately best for both of them. And she ... sat there. On the inside, she was confronting him and demanding an explanation. Had he been lying when he’d held her and told her she was the most beautiful thing in his universe? It hadn’t felt like a lie. She almost found the strength to call him on his behavior.

But then her mind flashed to the last time she’d confronted someone and everything that followed, and she froze. She said something stupid to Donovan like, “I understand. Thank you for telling me.”

She was so terrified of confrontation that she thanked him for breaking up with her! How messed up was that?

By the time she got her head on straight, he was gone. The opportunity had passed. Their relationship was over and it had been too late for her to get the answers she needed.

Although right now, it strangely didn’t feel like anything was over or too late.

“Donovan?”

“Yeah.”

She blinked the sudden moisture from her eyes. No. She wouldn’t cry. She was tired of being afraid. Tired of tiptoeing around everyone and everything. Tired of being pushed around by her own feelings.

His arms tightened as he waited for her to speak.

But the words weren’t there. How could she tell him that shehadpulled on her big-girl panties and called someoneout for their behavior? And her bravery led to her being so traumatized that she’d turned into a sniveling coward who would rather put up with being mistreated and disrespected than risk being hurt that way again?

How was she supposed to say that to a man who had never been a coward a single day in his life?

“You wouldn’t understand.”

There was a weighty pause before he said, “I wish you’d give me the opportunity to try.”

She didn’t owe him an explanation. Or a conversation. Or ... anything.

But maybe if she told him what happened, she could somehow bring the conversation around to them and why he’d decided they should be friends. Because despite her attempts to get over him, their current position made it clear that she was nowhere close to being over Donovan Bledsoe.

And if she didn’t get some answers, she might never be.

“Tonight then. Right now, I have to figure out how to prepare a meal that will blow our guests away without the use of the kitchen.”

“I’m going to hold you to it.” He squeezed her tight and then released her. “Let’s get back over to Hideaway.”

She stayed facing the window until she heard him gathering his things at the table. Then she turned and joined him. They didn’t speak until they were outside and headed back to the restaurant.

“Is there any chance of us finding out who did this?” she asked.

“There’s always a chance.”

She cut her eyes at him. “Like if this guy confesses?”

“That would help.” He finally cracked a smile, albeit a teeny, tiny one. “Confessionisgood for the soul.”

“Subtle.”

He winked.

They didn’t talk anymore, and when they returned to Hideaway, it was to find several more cars than had been there before.

---