“Since this morning?” Isabelle was secretly elated, but kept her cool. She loved that he was here tonight.
“Yes. In fact, I missed you all day long.” He pressed his lips to hers once more for a small taste. He drew back, adding, “Then again, what could I expect from someone as dangerous as you are?”
“Oh? Are we back to me being the dangerous one again?” She couldn’t control the goofy smile.
“Yes. I guess we are.” He grinned and pressed his lips hard to hers again. She relaxed and dove in, kissing him back for all she was worth.
Isabelle wallowed in the joy of the moment, but then the desperate clingy voice in the back of her mind reared its ugly, suspicious little head. “For how long?” she asked, after breaking the kiss along with the joyful mood to utter her misgivings aloud.
“What?” He cleared his throat, drawing away ever so slightly.
Fuck. Why can’t I shut up and enjoy this surprise?
He pulled away a bit further, but kept her in his arms as she answered, “I know we’re having dinner tomorrow night at your home again. I can also certainly guess what dessert will be comprised of, not that I’m at all unhappy about it.”
She glanced at the beautiful kiss-off bouquet he’d sent. The cold reality of her future smacked her in the face. She couldn’t wrestle it into submission. She stiffened in his arms, trying in vain to protect her foolish heart.
He reacted when she straightened. He pulled away, releasing her completely. Cold air rushed between their bodies. “I sense a huge but coming next,” he said. His terse prosecutor voice had come out.
“But you’ve been very clear that this is only a temporary arrangement for the three of us.” You are fucking this up! Take pleasure in the ride for however long it lasts.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Isabelle,” he whispered, his tone sounding desperate. He stared deeply into her eyes. Uncertainty colored his expression. What am I seeking? A foolish false promise?
“I don’t want that either,” she replied quietly. “What are you really trying to tell me when you say you don’t want to hurt me? Prepare yourself because I’m about to hurt you?”
Please don’t leave me, Warrick. My stupid heart can go hide again. I’m not ready to part from you yet. I love you.
He reached out, tightened his hand on her shoulder, and said, “I hope I’ve made myself and my intentions clear. I never wanted to mislead you regarding my ultimate goal.”
Isabelle’s heart tilted on its side, filling with bitter regret. “Then what are you doing here tonight?”
“Honestly, I wanted to make sure you were okay after last’s night’s exceptional double penetration sex.” One hand remained on her shoulder, and with the other he tenderly traced his fingertips down the side of her face.
“Oh. I see. That’s very nice of you.” Isabelle was embarrassed to have ruined his surprise meeting, where he was only concerned for her well-being. She cursed her foolish heart.
He shook his head and murmured, “I’m not usually that nice.”
“Not true.” Isabelle moved closer, pushing her body into his, hugging his waist, and settling her head on his shoulder. “You’ve been very nice to me. I don’t mean to sound shrewish.”
He didn’t put his arms around her or hug her tight. “I’m not sure I want to continue this relationship, if your primary expectation is long term. I’m still not looking for a wife, Isabelle.”
Isabelle pulled away from his warmth. The bitterly cold gap between them had widened to a chasm. Both physically and mentally. It hurt that he didn’t want her in the same way she already wanted him.
She did want to get married. Someday. She wanted to be like all of her friends in town. Happily married to two men. That dream was clearly about to die a horrible death.
Though the truth was that they hadn’t gone too far already. Sure, they’d been together and she’d even experienced the amazing double penetration sex only the night before.
However, her feelings and emotions had been engaged well before she ever met either one of them. Spending time with both Colton and Warrick had cemented and then created more of what she already felt.
Love.
However, it was completely foolish to have believed she would be the one to sway them to anything different than they were used to.
“I’m not sure either.” Stupid, stupid forlorn heart.
“I appreciate your honesty.” His expression was wary. “So now what?”
“Do you want to cancel tomorrow night?” she asked. “Are you ending things between us right now? Is that why you really came here tonight to say?”