At least he was finding this as…inconvenient as she was. And really, could she blame him? She had stolen from him, after all. How would she like it if she fancied someone who had stolen from her? But he did want her. She was becoming certain that at least that part of their bizarre relationship was true.
She took a deep breath. “I’m helping Sam do a welcome-home party for Darcy. I want to be there.”
“You could invite me.”
Was he crazy? “No, I couldn’t.”
“Are you ashamed of me, Summer?”
“Too right. You’re an embarrassment.”
“Did you tell Darcy about me?”
“No. I told her I have a job, and it’s temporary.Verytemporary. But I won’t say any more than that, because she’d probably come and beat you up. Then you’d no doubt get pissy and probably hand me over to the police.”
He exhaled, then looked away, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck. What was he thinking? She wished she hadn’t drunk so much champagne, because her brain wasn’t working, and right now, she needed her wits about her.
“You can stop worrying,” he said.
“I can? About what?”
“I won’t hand you over to the police.”
She frowned. “Why?”
He shrugged. “Because I don’t want you to go back to prison.”
“So I’m free to go? I don’t have to work for you anymore?”
“I’d like you to stay. At least for the time Lisa is away. After that, you’re free to go. Though I’ll find you a job in the company if you want one.”
“And what do you expect in return?”
“I’m not going to lie. I want you. And I think you want me. But you’re right—it’s not a good idea. It was a one-off thing and should stay that way. Perhaps it’s better if we don’t give in to that particular temptation.”
“What happened to dinner in bed? And getting the inconvenient attraction out of our systems?”
So, now he was saying he didn’t want her after all? Her head was still reeling from the fact that he’d said he wouldn’t hand her in. She was free to go if she wanted to, but he wanted her to stay. Her brain hurt.
“The problem is, I want you too much. I think it would be a mistake, because I don’t think making love with you would make me want you less. I planned to sleep with you and get you out of my system, but I suspect I underestimated the attraction. And I don’t do relationships. I have one disastrous marriage behind me, one woman who wanted me for nothing but my money, and I promised myself I’d never get involved with another one.”
“I never asked you to marry me.”
He ignored her interruption. “Three years ago, I was on the verge of falling in love with you.”
“What?” Her shock must have been clear in her voice.
He snorted and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t pretend you didn’t feel anything back then.”
She sniffed. “I was acting.”
He smiled. “Tell that to yourself if you have to, but we both know it’s not true. Anyway, my point is, it’s still there, lurking in the background. And I don’t want it. So I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
“Say the word and I’ll be out of your life.”
“I don’t want that, either.”
She gritted her teeth. “What do you want?”
He blew out his breath. “I want to know you’re okay, not going to get in trouble again. I want you to talk to me like you did when we first met.” He raised a shoulder and gave a rueful smile. “I guess I want to be your friend.”
Luckily, her chair was behind her to catch her as her knees gave way, and she sank down. Whatever she’d expected him to say,thatwasn’t it. For some reason, she couldn’t explain even to herself, her eyes pricked. She blinked.
It was the champagne. That was all.