“Then it wasn’t your fault. He made the choice. He could have spoken with you. Asked for counseling. Fought to figure out if the marriage could be saved. Instead, he took the easy way and betrayed you. There’s no instruction manual on the right way to love. You did the best you could at the time.” He shook his head. “I can’t imagine dealing with losing your parents and being there for your sister. Isn’t love supposed to be trust and security? Why does it have to be only one thing?”
Astonishment held her still. She stared at him as his words sparked something deep underneath; a buried vault of guilt, shame, and rage that had been shoved into the dark. Instead of going away, it had been slowly blistering, making Sierra unable to see a path forward for herself.
At that moment, she wanted to lean into his strength and have him hold her. She fought hard against the neediness, not wanting to make a bigger fool of herself. As if he knew her secret thoughts, his gaze held her steady, a balm to the rawness of her confession. Heat flushed her skin.
Who was this man who seemed to sense exactly what she needed?
And why did he make her feel safe amidst such vulnerability?
“Don’t pull back now,” he murmured.
A ragged laugh escaped her lips. “What are we doing?”
“Getting real. Refreshing, isn’t it?”
She tilted her chin up. “I’m not here to play games. I didn’t come here for a hookup.”
Mischief danced over his carved features. “Neither did I. But I didn’t expect you.”
Still unsteady from her admission, she sipped her wine and regarded him under half lowered lids. “What about you? You seem to know a lot about love. Are you in love now?”
Sierra cursed herself for dreading the answer. It wasn’t as if they’d see each other again. He’d be a story to tell when she returned from New York. Someone to whisper and giggle about and play the what-if game. But it didn’t matter. The primitive feminine portion of her soul craved there to be no one else for him.
Just for tonight.
“I’ve never been in love,” he said. “Lust, yes. Friendship, yes. People say you’ll know when you find it.” His shoulders moved in a half shrug. “Do I want to find it? Maybe. Maybe not. Right now, I’m too focused on my work. I don’t think I’d be good for a relationship.”
“Even after a ten-million-dollar deal?”
“Yes.”
She sifted through his words. “What if it’s never enough?”
Ghosts shadowed his eyes. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. For now, though, each deal I make is one step closer to getting to the goal.”
“Which is?”
A smile flashed across his face. His front tooth was slightly crooked. She caught a faint scar by his upper lip. She wondered how he got it.
“Owning a property empire,” he said. Resolution ground within his tone. Sierra sensed this man would do anything to get there, making him a bit dangerous. But it was the motivation underneath that intrigued her.
“What will that give you that love won’t?” she asked.
Sierra watched as he jerked back, in the hot seat like she’d been. His gaze narrowed as if he was trying to figure out if he should try to answer, or laugh it off. She deliberately leaned in to crowd his space, forcing him not to break the suddenly seething connection. “Don’t pull back now,” she said softly.
He shifted in his seat. Seconds ticked by but she waited him out, allowing him to find the words or courage or both.
He lifted his glass and drained it dry. Studied the bottom of the expensive crystal as if it held answers. Then swung his gaze back to hers.
“Safety.”
Emotion poured through her at his answer. Yes, he had demons. Sierra couldn’t blame him. Money and power certainly kept one safe. They were on opposite sides of their goals. She was hiding behind her marriage for safety. She’d used love to get there.
He was hiding behind his career. Sierra would bet he used ruthlessness, focus, and workaholic tendencies to get there.
Together, they completed the most perfect circle.
The bartender glided over, refilled their drinks, and disappeared.
