Free Be My Temptation (Temptation #2) by Ruth Cardello Page A

frantically.
    He pulled on his pants, keeping his eyes on her as he did. “I don’t understand.”
    Kate put her skirt back on, then turned off the music. No more putting it off. She walked over to her purse, took out a phone, and typed his name into it. A beep went off in one of the pockets of his coat. Tears filled her eyes. “Now do you understand?”
    A flush spread over his cheeks; he went pale as he looked back at his jacket and then to the phone in her hands. “Shit, Kate. I can explain.” He frowned again. “Wait, how long have you known?”
    Kate shook her head sadly. “Long enough. I thought I could get you to tell me the truth by playing games like you did, but I’m not good at them, Brock, not like you.”
    He gripped her arms. “Kate, listen to me.”
    Kate pulled herself free from him. “Do you know how I felt when I found that phone in your desk drawer? I thought I had finally found someone I could believe in and then there it was—proof that I didn’t know you at all. I trusted you—both of you—and you both humiliated me.”
    “You said you enjoyed what we did.”
    Blinking back tears, Kate waved her hands angrily. “It’s not about the sex. It’s about how it felt to open up to you and trust you, only to find out you were playing me. I am so angry with you for not being the man I thought you were. I keep trying to move past it. I keep thinking you can prove to me that I’m wrong, but maybe you can’t. Maybe nothing good can come from the kind of start we had. All I know is, being with you hurts even when it’s wonderful. In fact, it hurts more when it’s wonderful because I know it’s not real.”
    Kate began to walk away but Brock blocked her. “Kate, what we have is real. I do love you. I should have told you everything, but I didn’t want to lose you. Don’t talk like it’s over.”
    Kate shook her head sadly and walked to the door, holding it open. “It is over. Go home, Brock. I can’t do this anymore.”
    He studied her expression, then finally sighed. He picked up the rest of his clothing and stepped out into the cold night. “I never meant to hurt you, Kate.”
    Kate closed the door on him and leaned against it, whispering to herself, “But you did. You did hurt me, and I don’t know if I can forgive you.”
    She sank to the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees.
     
    ***
     
    Brock stood on Kate’s porch long after he heard her move away from the door. He wanted to crash through the physical barrier between them and demand that she listen to his side of the story. The problem was, he knew he deserved to be tossed to the curb.
    He’d known from the moment he’d picked up her letter and hadn’t immediately returned it to her that this day might come. In the beginning it had been a game, and a fun one at that. But when he had taken the game too far and almost lost her the first time, he’d admitted to himself he wanted a whole lot more than to just fuck her.
    He’d never been the romantic type. At least, that had always been a common complaint from the women he’d dated. He was a practical man. Sex was great, and dating made sex possible. Women often asked him out; when he was in the mood he said yes. Dinner or a movie was all it had usually taken to seal the deal with them. He’d never felt badly about moving on because he’d never made them any promises.
    I give Tyler shit, but I am just as bad.
    How did I go from that to freezing my balls off because I can’t leave the porch of a woman who told me we’re over?
    He laid an open hand on Kate’s door. I fucked up, Kate. I know I did. I should have confessed everything when I had the chance.
    He took out the prepaid phone and read through the recent messages she’d sent him. It was obvious to him now that she had known she was writing to him. As he scrolled through their conversation, one exchange jumped out at him. He read it several times.
     
    Sometimes I get scared and never want to see him again. It