Page 110 of Until It Was Real

I fist my hands on my hips. “You did?”

He steps toward me but I back up. I can’t allow him too close to me. If he is, I’ll probably do something stupid like throw myself at him. Bad idea. The man broke my heart at the first hurdle in our relationship.

I deserve more. I deserve a man who thinks I hung the moon. Who doesn’t assume the worst in me the second he sees something he doesn’t understand.

“I’m sorry, Dakota. I overreacted. I should have let you explain. I shouldn’t have broken us apart.”

I try to hang onto my anger. But try as I might, I can’t. Not when Rhett’s staring at me with those piercing blue eyes, looking as chagrined as a boy who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Miles may not be able to adult, but I can. “I accept your apology.”

Rhett’s eyes warm and he sighs. “Thank fuck.”

He reaches for me but I hold up a hand. “I accept your apology, but it doesn’t change anything.”

His brow wrinkles. “What do you mean?”

I motion between us. “This doesn’t work.”

“I recall us working pretty damn well.”

Sparks ignite in my belly at the heat in his eyes. I ignore it. Good sex is not enough to keep a relationship together.

“I’m not referring to our sexual chemistry.”

He clears his throat. “There’s more to us than our sexual chemistry.”

I wave toward the gift basket. “And yet you didn’t trust me enough to let me explain myself when you caught me injecting myself with insulin.”

He winces. “And I’m going to regret my actions for the rest of my life.”

“There’s no reason to be full of regret. Let’s learn from our mistakes and move on.”

“I can’t move on, Havoc.”

“I’m sorry, Rhett. But I can’t be with a man who lashes out at me the way you did. You dumped me and broke my heart for nothing.”

A muscle in his jaw ticks. “It was a misunderstanding.”

“It didn’t need to be.”

“Can I explain why I overreacted?”

I nearly tell him no. What good will knowing the reason behind his actions do? It won’t change anything. But I can’t resist his pleading face. I’m such a sucker.

“Go ahead.”

He glances around the room. “Not here. Where my brothers are eavesdropping on us.”

“Hey!” Miles shouts. “Not fair. I’m the only brother in the office.”

Rhett growls. “Go away, Miles!”

“Not until you grovel to Dakota and make her our little sister again.”

Heat radiates through my chest, and my hands tingle. I want that. I want to be part of a family. Someone’s little sister.

“I can’t grovel while you’re eavesdropping!” Rhett shouts back and I giggle. I can’t help myself. Rhett and his brothers are utterly ridiculous.

---