“Were you? Why?”
“I like you,” he admitted. That was the God’s honest truth.
“I don’t like you.”
“That’s your anger talking, and I’m not saying you aren’t justified. But we both know that you like me too.”
“I don’t like Sean O’Neill. I likedJackbut he was someone you made up and probably also someone I created. Not real. I don’t know Sean O’Neill...” She trailed off, her voice cracking, and her hands started to shake as she wrapped her arms around her waist.
He didn’t know if she could ever forgive him. And honestly, he wasn’t sure that he deserved it. All the months that he’d been telling himself he could make this right, he’d been lying to himself.
She needed more than a guy who was playing a role. More than someone who was following a script and using it as a guide to be a man who was worthy of her. And Sean realized he might not ever be that person.
Hell, chances were he wasn’t. But he couldn’t just leave her. He knew that was what she wanted but it wasn’t something he was prepared to do right now.
“Can we start over?” he asked gruffly.
“No, we can’t.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Why not? I’m not entirely a monster,” he said.
“But you arepartially?”
“Well, I’m pretty sure you think I am.”
“Not a monster. Just a stranger,” she said.
“Then let’s fix it. In retrospect, I wish I’d told you sooner, but I was doing some research for the role and starting filming, and I didn’t know you.”
He reached for her again, and this time she relaxed for a moment, letting him draw her closer. But as he leaned down to kiss her, he saw her eyes widen and there was sheen of tears there. She shook her head and pulled back again.
Something ached inside of him as she withdrew, but he let her go, stepping aside to give her some space.
“I get it. I mean, I run a PR and brand-management company. I make my living from using the press and leaking things.”
Somehow, hearing it from her mouth sounded worse than it had in his head. He heard it as the excuse it was. All of that might have been true for the first few weeks, but once he’d gotten to know Paisley...he knew she’d never betray a trust.
He’d just never really liked himself or who he was when he wasn’t playing a role. He’d grown up in front of the camera and he knew that it was an excuse he used to justify all his shortcomings, but at the same time, it was the truth.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know, and I wish I could forgive you, but I can’t.”
“And you can’t start over, either. So what’s next?” he asked.
She took a deep breath and let it out in one long exhalation. “I honestly don’t know.”
The way he kept staring at her made Paisley realize that the gifted actor known for his emotional depth was looking at her with vacant eyes that revealed nothing.
His skin had gone kind of ashen, so she knew he must be feeling something. But what? And this was new. In the past she’d have rushed to Jack’s side to reassure him, but this wasn’t Jack. This was Sean. And Sean was a stranger. One who was used to playing to the crowd, and in this room, there was only the two of them.
“No forgiveness? That’s not really like you, Pais,” he said, gritting out the words.
“Call me ‘Ms. Campbell,’ Mr. O’Neill. After all, we don’t really know each other,” she said, wishing she could sit down. Anger was still there, a quiet little ember deep inside of her. But they did have things to discuss. And it might be better to have this conversation in private. But where? Her place? She couldn’t bear the thought of having him back there.
“We need to talk,” he said. “I have a hotel—”
“You what?”