Page 92 of Secret Bet
Chapter25
Belle woke up to banging.Her head throbbed from too many drinks at the bar. The door rattled downstairs. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out the sound, but she wondered if Peter was at the door. She tugged up her covers over her head. They were from two differentworlds, and hers didn't include him. Then she sighed, unknotted the sheets, and stood. If Peter was here, she had toseehim.
She grabbed a robe and hoped her hair wasn't standing on their roots as she trudged to the door. Then she swung it open and gazed at the perfectly clean, muscular, Peter who smiled at her. His lips could cause a girl to fall into a frenzy, but she crossed her arms.Then he brushed his hand against hercheek.
"I had to see you,Belle."
His gentleness brought tears swelling in her ducts. She sniffled and refused to cry. She swallowed and liftedherchin.
"Nothing hurts me. You didn't havetocome."
He whispered so only she could hear him. "Belle, I amsorry."
Embarrassment didn't matter. She stepped away from him and shookher head. "For what? For betting that I'd be your girlfriend? You should be at your mother's side and with yourfamily."
“I should be right here, with you.” He massaged his chin and ignored the silence that surrounded them. "Can Icomein?"
She took a deep breath, inhaling his woodsy scent. She pressed her lips together. She'd not be swayed to go back to him. She turned awayfromhim.
"We need to talk. Jennifer was at my place, and she helped me realize somethingimportant."
"What did she have to say now?" She had never had a chance with Colt and wouldn't with Peter either. Jennifer had been in his life for too long. "She clearlywantedyou."
“Jennifer is not important to me.” He reached out to brush his hands on hers, but she pulled away as he said,"I didn't know anyone like you. Belle, you stole mybreathaway."
She stiffened. If she relaxed, he could steal her heart and make her forget. It was time to end this one-on-one. She refused to stare into his sexy brown eyes because she knew she'd lose her nerve. "Well, you had your chance to explain everything, but you chose silence. Andthankyou."
He stepped closer. "Forwhat?"
She glanced up into his eyes, and her arms itched to wrap herself around him. Her lips tingled to kiss him, but she couldn't. Shebackedaway.
"For getting me to believe that I could date and be happy, even if it's withsomeoneelse."
"Let mefinish?"
"No."
He inched closer and adrenaline rushed through her. She wanted to give herself to him and forget everythingelse. She picked up an empty glass from the side table near the couch and brought it to the kitchen to get awayfromhim.
He followed her and asked, "Can we just sit and talk? I won'ttakelong."
Hold me and never let me go.She'd never say that. She couldn't. Her life was never going to be here with him. She'd get back to work and tell her heart to stop aching. Love wasn't partof her life. It was better for both of them. He deserved a full life too and that couldn'tbeher.
"Fine, but then I should ask you to leave. I needtopack."
They returned near the couch. Then he ran his hand down her arm. Every morsel of her skin that he touched grew goose bumps. "Belle, there is something I wanttosay."
The fluttering in her stomach had to be ignored.She clenched her jaw and tilted her body away from him. "Peter, if it's about us, then it's better we don't say anything else. There isno‘us.’"
He didn't move. He didn't even blink. He swallowed, though, and then he said, "Belle, I can't do that. The thing is that Iloveyou."
Her knees felt weak. It had to be the exhaustion. She shook her head no. That wasn'tpossible.
"This is what you discovered with Jennifer? It wasn't that you wanted her inyourlife."
"Absolutely not." He stood taller but otherwise didn't move. "Belle, I love you more than I love anyone else in theworld."
No, no, no.The rest of the world seemed to fade away as she stared at him. She held her body in place despite how she ached to hold him. Then she stepped into theentryway.
