‘But surely you could have told me? I’m his sister and you and I are...are...in a relationship.’
Drake raised his scarred eyebrow. ‘And here I was calling it a fling, silly me.’ He knew his tone was mocking. He knew his expression was cynical, but he was cornered by her use of the termrelationship. It was too...serious. Too confining. Too threatening.
Aerin pursed her lips, staring at him for a long moment without speaking. ‘Is that all I am to you? Just another one of your casual lovers?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘Then tell me what you feel about me.’
Drake opened and closed his mouth, not sure he could find the words to describe how he felt about her. ‘I care about you. You’re a nice person to be around.’
‘You care about me.’ Her tone was jaded. ‘Would you say you liked me?’
‘Of course I like you.’
‘What about love?’
His throat suddenly constricted. ‘What about it?’
Her gaze was direct. ‘Do you love me?’
Drake disguised a swallow, but it was as if he were choking on razorblades. ‘Why are you asking me that? We agreed on a short-term fling. Love has nothing to do with two people enjoying a mutual attraction to each other.’
Her small chin came up to a defiant height. ‘You won’t say it, will you? You act like a man in love and yet you can’t or won’t say the words.’
Drake wanted to plug his ears like a wilful child and chantla-la-laso he didn’t have to listen. ‘And I suppose you’re going to tell me you’ve fallen madly in love with me?’
Her eyes glittered. ‘Would there be any point?’
‘No.’
‘Because those words frighten you. They make you uncomfortable. They make you feel vulnerable. But I’m going to say them anyway. I love you, Drake. I think I fell in love with you when you first kissed me. I didn’t expect such a thing to happen. I certainly never saw you as my Mr Perfect. But I can’t help feeling the way I do. I don’t want to be in a fling with you. I want more than that.’
Drake raked a hand through his hair, his chest so tight he could barely draw in a breath. ‘You’re probably confusing good physical chemistry with something else.’
‘I know my own heart. I know what I feel. Don’t fob me off with it being infatuation or due to my lack of experience.’
‘I’m not the settling-down type, I told you that from the get-go.’
‘I know and I shouldn’t have allowed things to progress the way they did but I couldn’t help it. I wanted you and you wanted me and the rest, as they say, is history, or at least it is now.’
He frowned and narrowed his gaze. ‘What do you mean?’
She gave him a sad smile and plucked her coat off the hook. ‘It’s time to say goodbye. I’m ending our relationship before any more damage is done. You’re not ready for love. You have too much armour around your heart. And only you can remove it.’
Drake took a step towards her but then pulled himself into line. He had to let her go. He couldn’t demand anything of her. He didn’t have the right. He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets to keep them from reaching for her. ‘You do realise we’ll still have to see each other at times.’ His voice sounded as frosty as the wintry air outside.
‘I don’t see why we have to.’
He pointed to the dog sitting at his feet. ‘What about him?’
Aerin glanced at Mutley and then back at Drake. ‘I’m sure you can deliver him to Mr McPhee some time without running into me. Text me and I’ll make sure I’m not around if it makes you feel that uncomfortable.’
He thinned his lips into a cynical smile. ‘So, you’d rather not see me? Fine. You won’t.’
Aerin pressed her lips together. ‘I think it’s probably for the best. A clean break.’
She put her coat on and it took everything in him not to help her with it as he usually would. But he knew if his hands touched her again, he would not be able to let her go.