Page 57 of When You Are Mine

“Yes.”

He stepped back, jerking his hands from hers.

“Was that why you accepted Cam? Because you thought I was going to marry Sofie?”

“I wanted a family, a commitment. Roots.” Her words came out in a rush, but she could have said them slowly and they still would make no sense. “Those have always been the most important things to me. I thought…I thought you were going to marry Sofie, and Cam was perfect for me. It was the right choice.”

“You honestly believe that? Or are you trying to convince us both because you made a mistake?”

“I didn’t make a mistake.” Her eyes drifted to the floor. “It was the only choice for me.”

“The only—” He sealed his mouth against the words fighting to escape. “You’ve ruined my friendship with Cam. Made everything so damned complicated—”

“Things are not complicated.” She had the nerve to glare at him. “It’s very simple. I’m married to Cam, and you’re his best friend. Simple.”

“Is it simple that I can’t stop thinking about you? About the kiss in that hospital room?” He took one step, eating up the small space separating them until he knew she could hear his whisper. “About how you taste? How you feel? Is thatsimple, Kerris?”

“Stop it.” She spat the words, looking over his shoulder at the open door.

“Is it simple that I’m in love with you?” He couldn’t hold it back, even with the guilt eating him. To be this close to her again after so long was rapture and torture. “’Cause it feels pretty complicated to me.”

“Don’t say that.” Her voice was soft, but fierce. “Don’t ever say that again.”

“What? The part about me being in love with you?” He narrowed his eyes to frustrated slits. “Should I also not mention that I think you feel the same way about me?”

“You’re wrong.” She lifted her chin and lowered her brows. “You’re a good friend. That’s all.”

“We’ll just ignore this thing between us for the rest of our lives, huh?”

“Marriage is sacred to me.” One tear escaped her unblinking eyes. It looked so lonely on her face, Walsh was glad when she swiped it away. “Having children, a family, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“We could have had thattogether.”

Walsh grabbed her shoulders, being careful of her even in this pressure-cooker moment. The feel of her under his hands was almost too much. He wanted her mouth. He wanted to lick every inch of exposed skin and uncover the rest.

“It’s too late.” She twisted away from his hungry hands. “I love Cam. You have to believe that.”

“You won’t make me believe you feel for Cam what you feel with me.”

“I can’t control what you believe. I can only control myself, and I choose to go forward. You should do the same. Forget all of this.”

“Well, you really didn’t leave us much choice. Do you know why I stayed away all year?”

She wouldn’t look up even when he waited for her to answer.

“I couldn’t stand seeing you together, so I stayed away.”

“Don’t do that.”

She reached toward him before dropping her hand to her side.Wise. If she touched him, he might combust. He might spread her out on that spotless counter and possess her completely, Cam and the rest of the world be damned.

“Walsh, your mother, Jo, your uncle James and…Cam missed you so much.”

“What do you expect me to do? Hang around and watch you and Cam sharing your life together? Watch you have his children? How did you see this playing out?”

“I didn’t think in those terms.” She drew a deep breath, tremors agitating her small frame. “I didn’t think you felt that way about me.”

“You’re lying.” He couldn’t let her get away with it. Not now. “You knew there was something between us from the beginning. You ignored it, and then when it flared up in the hospital, you denied it. I was stupid enough to go along with that. It’s just as much my fault as yours. I honestly didn’t think you’d go through with marrying him, not with that between us.”

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