Shrugging, I fought with whether or not I should bring up Jack. Brody and I had spent the most amazing time together, and I didn’t want to ruin it. “I’m often told I do these kinds of things wrong.”
It was his turn to frown. “By that jackass? Don’t listen to him, Sutton. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
My heart beat rapidly in my chest, and I looked away, trying to hide my face. I knew I was blushing hard because I could feel the heat on my cheeks.
Using his finger, Brody lifted my chin until our eyes met. “I’m the one who needs to be thanking you, Sutton. You gave yourself to me, and I’ll never forget this night for as long as I live.”
He leaned closer and brushed his lips lightly over mine. I was so taken by the moment, I let the words I held so close to my heart slip free.
“I love you.”
He stilled. His eyes searched my face, and I watched as he worked to swallow. Then I saw it. He was shutting down, pulling back from me.
“I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” I said. “And I don’t expect anything from you. Please know that.”
Brody forced a smile. “We should get dressed before we’re gone too long and people notice.”
I blinked rapidly to hold back the tears that threatened to come. “But…”
The words I wanted to say seemed stuck. Brody kissed me once more, though this time it felt like a goodbye kiss.
He sat up and crawled over me. Turning, he reached for my hand and helped me stand.
In silence, he helped me get dressed. I felt numb, and everything inside of me screamed to push his hands away. To tell him I could get dressed on my own. But another part needed to feel his touch. How messed up was that?
I sat on the sofa and watched as he quickly got dressed.
“Ready to head back?” he asked, not looking at me.
Standing, I shook my head. “No. What just happened, Brody?”
“Nothing.”
Tilting my head, I regarded him. “Nothing? How can you say that?”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t mean that in the way you think, Sutton. That was amazing. Making love to you was…amazing.”
I felt myself frown. “Then what happened?”
He looked away and stared off into space. “Nothing, it’s just…I can’t be with you.”
I took a step back at his cold words. It was clear he’d instantly put a wall up after I’d uttered those three words. “Ever? Are you saying this meant nothing to you, and we won’t ever…”
He looked away and rubbed at the back of his neck before he focused back on me. “Sutton, I’m in the Navy. I’m never home. You’re heading off to college. This…it wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”
The second I felt a tear slip free, I inwardly cursed. I quickly wiped it away. “How can you simply walk away from what just happened between us? I know you felt what I felt, Brody. I saw it on your face. Felt it in the way you kissed me and moved inside of me. I may not have ever had sex before, but I’m positive that was something beyond amazing.”
“I’m not good for you, Sutton. You deserve someone who’ll love you and give you everything you’ve ever wanted. Someone who deserves to hear those words from you.”
A quiet sob slipped free before I covered my mouth with my hand. Brody hadn’t felt anything. Had I been the only one to feel the love between us?
I was suddenly embarrassed—and I needed to get as far away from Brody Wilson as I could. I pushed past him and started for the door.
He reached out a hand to stop me. “Sutton, don’t do this. Don’t make this more than what it was and ruin what we shared.”
Spinning around, I glared at him. “Me? I’m the one who’s ruining it? I gave myself to you, thinking you wanted me as much as I wanted you.”
“I did!”