Page 48 of Off-Limits Silver Fox Billionaire

Why didn’t she tell me sooner?

The heavy weight of my guilt came again as I sat there, and I averted my gaze from hers.

“You know you could talk to me, Josh,” Bree said after some time. I met her gaze again and her blue eyes clung to mine. Another tingle rushed through me, but I cleared my throat and tried to push it aside.

“I’m fine,” I told her.

We ordered dinner and ate in silence. The entire time Bree stole glances at me, and I could tell there was something on her mind. I wanted to take Jenny off my mind too, but I just couldn’t.

Ever since Iris mentioned her illness and the nursing home, I’ve not been able to forget. We finished our meal and I paid for dinner before leading Bree out of the restaurant.

We took a walk down the streets and I admired the stars in the night. The breeze in the air blew against Bree’s hair, and she kept her hands on the lapels of her jackets as she spoke.

“I told Allison,” she announced, and the words shocked me.

I froze in my tracks and spun around to face her. Bree also stopped walking, and she nodded when she talked to me. “You did? I thought you didn’t want anyone to know yet.”

“I didn’t,” she answered, then smiled. “But somehow Allison guessed, and I had to confide in her. Besides, I’ve been thinking, and I’ve been worried about us.”

My heart softened while listening to her, and I reached out to stroke her chin just like I had craved doing since the start of the night. I knew I had to tell her about Jenny, but I didn’t know how she would react or if she would understand why I was feeling this way.

I didn’t even understand it myself.

Is it guilt?Jenny didn’t have any family besides me and Iris. I hadn’t spoken to her in years, and I was worried about her.

“I’ve been thinking, Josh. I’ve been thinking about us, and I …” she trailed off, then sucked in a deep breath and touched my hand. “I’m in love with you, Josh. I don’t know how else to say it or what else to say besides I’m in love with you.”

Her sentence ended with a smile, and she reached out to touch my chin. My lids fluttered close when she touched me. I loved the feel of her skin on mine and her scent slowly surrounded me too. It took control of my senses and made me crave moving closer to her for a kiss.

In that second as my eyes remained closed I remembered the time I loved Jenny and how happy I was until she shattered me with her betrayal.

Can I do it again? Can I feel love again?I didn’t need to know what to feel, but when I opened my eyes again and looked at Iris, she slowly dropped her hand.

“Josh,” she whispered and shook her head. “Oh my God, I’m sorry, I must have scared you,” she blabbered as she moved away from me. “I take it back.”

“Bree,” I called and put my hands on her shoulders. “Calm down, I’m just flustered.”

“You’re pale,” she cried out, and she tried to move away from me, but I kept my hands steady on her shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I’m not pale, just flustered,” I repeated. Then she pressed her lips together and met my gaze again. “I’m also sorry that…” my throat tightened as I tried to muster the words.

The pain in my heart was great and I cared about Bree a lot, but could I call it love?

“I care about you, Bree,” I said to her. “And the baby.”

I touched her belly gently and matched the grin that spread out on her lips. She laughed and quieted down again before tears filled her eyes.

“I can’t love you, Bree,” I managed to say as the pain closed in on me, and made my eyes also tear up.

“Oh,” she gasped, and I released her this time. “I’m sorry,” she apologized again and shook her head. “I just…I should go home.”

“Bree wait,” I called and tried to stop her, but it didn’t matter. She stormed off, flagged down the first cab she got, and hopped in.

I stood in the same spot for the next few minutes chastising myself for hurting Bree and making her cry. I couldn’t love her because I was scared of getting hurt, not because I didn’t think she was the most beautiful and amazing woman I had ever met.

Perhaps I’m just too damaged?

I finally made it home, and Iris was in the living room with some friends when I arrived. She was talking about wedding cakes with one friend and decorations too, so I let her handle it and went to my bedroom.

---