“Well, yeah.”
“Wow,” she breathed, crossing her arms over her chest.
Wes’s stomach clenched. This was going wrong. “I want us to find a place together.” Cara glanced up at him. She looked adorable, with her nose turning pink in the cold despite the heavy makeup she wore to cover her bruising.
“Together?”
Wes took her hands. “I know you have a lot going on with your family and everything that happened with Colin.” Her eyes flickered. “I know this isn’t the best time to talk about it, but I don’t want to wait. I don’t want to go back to that house.”
“We have some wonderful memories there.” She began walking again.
Wes put his hand on her arm to stop her, turning her to face him on the crowded sidewalk. His hands stroked down her biceps. “And bad ones, too. I know you’ll need a place close to the city for work, but I can work from anywhere.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this already.”
Why does she sound worried?
Cara’s eyes were serious when they met his. He thought this was what she wanted to hear, that they would be together.
Isn’t that what she wants, too?
“I mean we haven’t finished all the Star Treks yet.” He joked lamely, but she didn’t smile as he’d hoped.
“A few days ago, you were convinced Melody was the love of your life, and now you want us to what… move in together? Not roommates but together, as a couple?”
Wes stared, feeling helpless. He didn’t know what to say.
Cara tugged at her scarf. “You’re right though. This isn’t the time. I need to concentrate on what I have to do tomorrow.” She must have read the hurt in his face because she pulled him down to her level by the front of his shirt and placed a firm kiss against his lips.
“I’m not saying no. I’m saying the last few days have been all adrenaline and…” She smirked. “Great sex, but I need to be sure you know what you are doing. You need to be sure this is what you want. I don’t want to be someone you’ve slipped into your fantasy of happily-ever-after.”
She stepped back then. “Come on, I’m freezing.”
Wes’s heart sank. He was silent as they got in the car and rode back to the hotel. The quiet didn’t seem to bother Cara as she stared out her window which only worried him more.
CHAPTERFIFTY-TWO
“It’s about time!I’ve been texting you!” An annoyed Luke opened the door to Declan’s suite.
“What are you doing here?” Cara asked in a choked voice, before dropping the bag and hurling herself into her brother’s arms. Luke clutched her snug against his chest.
“James wanted to come, but he’s in the middle of something,” Luke said cryptically. “One of us needed to be here to take care of you.”
Cara pulled back. “It’s great to see you, but Declan is here.”
“He’s not as good of a hugger as I am,” Luke joked.
Wes stood back watching them, feeling more alone than he had in a long time. After what Cara had said on the street, and now seeing her with her family, he felt like she was intentionally putting a distance between them.
Luke looked suspiciously at Wes. “I didn’t realize you would be here. I thought you went back to Atlanta.”
Cara frowned. “Leave him alone, Luke. I need him here.” Wes brightened at her choice of words. He would definitely follow up later on what she had meant by that.Need is good, right?
“Have you seen Declan?” Cara worried her lip.
Luke looked wary. “Not in person, but he left me a key. He knew I was coming.”
“Well, that’s something,” Cara said. “He seems better.”
