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“Nugget looks so good. Thank you, Kaley.”

“You’re more than welcome.” Anthony gestured to the front table. “Those are for you, so don’t forget them on the way out.”

Kaley glanced at the front table to see a bouquet of flowers. Her heart warmed as he guided her to the back door and then over the path to his cottage. Once inside, he gestured for her to sit.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thank you.” Damn, she felt like a fraud, sitting here trying to making polite conversation. Her stomach twisted, and she started to rub below her breasts but stopped herself.

Anthony grabbed a straight-back chair, spun it around, and straddled it. “I don’t know where to start.”

His words were soft, and Kaley took a breath. “I needed time to think.”

“About what?”

“Us.”

He stiffened, and Kaley wanted to curse for saying the single word, because she’d thought about so much more than just the two of them together.

Anthony gripped the chair back, then released it along with a slow, pent-up breath. God, she hated that she was putting him through this.

“Can we start with why you’ve been avoiding me?”

She spread her hand in front of her. “You kind of swept into my life.”

“If I pressured you in any way, I didn’t mean to.”

“You didn’t.” How could she explain this to him? The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Anthony, but she needed him to understand. “This is about me, not you.”

“That sounds familiar.” His shoulders slumped.

“I have some issues I need to work through.” Wasn’t that the truth. She’d been seeing her therapist again, but it had only been a couple of sessions.

“What can I do to help you?”

His voice held concern, as did his eyes. The ice wall around Kaley’s heart started to melt, and as much as she wanted to keep it there, where Anthony was concerned, it was a losing proposition.

“I have things I need to work through myself, and I need space to do that. I’m okay with us having dinner together, just not every night.”

“I can live with that. What about us being together in bed?”

Kaley rubbed her hands on her thighs. “I’d like that.” When he opened his mouth, she held up her hand. “When the time is right.”

“And at the club?” He could leave club play out if she wanted, as long as he could be with her.

“I’ll still be there on Saturday nights, but by myself. I’m sorry, Anthony. I don’t want to hurt you, but that’s all I can handle right now.” Even now, the tug to be with him almost overwhelmed her. If she gave in, she’d never deal with her past, her issues. And eventually, her fears would slice their relationship to shreds, leaving both of them in pieces.

He nodded. It was better than nothing. “I can live with that. Will you come and sit for me on Sundays again?”

“Every other week.”

He rubbed his forehead. “You’re limiting our time together, why?”

Kaley rubbed below her breasts. “Yes. I have some private issues to figure out.”

“Don’t we all,” he muttered. He extended his hand, and she placed hers in his. “I want to be with you is all.”

“We will be. Just a little slower than before.” Maybe she’d rushed their relationship the first time. The knots in her stomach began to untangle.

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