Page 24 of When You Are Mine

“No, Walsh.” The words stilled in her throat when she realized he was simply redoing the buttons she had misfastened in her clumsy rush. “Oh, thanks.”

“So, you don’t plan to tell Cam?” Walsh’s hand fell away, his mouth a straight and narrow line. His fist clenched on his knee, making his calm tone a lie. His eyes never strayed from her cowboy boots.

“No, and neither can you. Look at me.”

He met her eyes head on.

“Neither can you, Walsh.” That bore repeating. “Cam seems mild-mannered, but he’s so…”

“Possessive?” He paired the word with a frown.

“I guess, but most of all because it would hurt him unnecessarily. You have to see that.”

“Do I?” A skeptical brow lifted. “I don’t think that’s the right way to handle it. I think we should be honest with Cam and with ourselves.”

“What do you mean by ‘with ourselves’?”

“Kerris, I can’t promise it won’t happen again.” His voice was sandpaper. Rough. Abrasive. “This is serious. Cam’s asked you to marry him.”

“And you don’t think I should? Is that it? Am I not good enough for Cam?”

“What?” A storm cloud gathered on his face. “I never said that. I don’tthinkthat. Don’t try to smokescreen me by putting words in my mouth. If you marry Cam, and this doesn’t go away…”

“What doesn’t go away?” She directed the soft words to her boots, unable to meet his still-steaming eyes.

He lifted her chin with one thumb, caressing the line of her jaw with his index finger.

“Kerris, can you deny there’s something between us?”

“An attraction?”

“Okay, if that’s what you want to call it, yeah. An attraction.”

“Walsh, you’re an attractive guy. These were difficult, emotional circumstances, and we got carried away.”

“I don’t know. I just…”

“Do you love Cam?” she asked, stowing her emotions behind an impassive face. Walsh’s friendship with Cam was her trump card. Maybe heronlycard.

“Of course. You know he’s the brother I never had.”

“Do you want to put a strain on that relationship over a kiss that meant nothing?” She poured all her nervousness into the fingers plucking at her dress, but kept her face placid.

“Nothing?” His narrowed eyes locked on hers. “You’re telling me what just happened meant nothing to you?”

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” She nodded vigorously, one long braid slithering over her shoulder.

“Then you’re right. There’s nothing to tell.”

“Great.”

“Right.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“All right.” She shifted her weight from one boot to the other. “I’m gonna go then.”

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