of town and get away, but how was she going to escape the feelings Beckett inspired? How was she going to forget his taste and touch and the way he made her feel?
How was she ever going to stop wanting him? And how was she going to explain to Cody and Hannah why she had to leave Cotton Creek as soon as possible?
Tears started to flow as she contemplated the mess she’d gotten herself in to and for the first in a long time, she gave into them and cried. For what had led her here and what would drive her away.
Pounding at the door interrupted her sobs. “Roxie! Open the door!”
It was Beckett.
“I mean it! Open it or I’ll break it down! Roxie!”
And wake the entire boarding house.
She scrambled off the bed and opened the door a crack. “Go away, Beckett.”
His response was to shove the door open, stalk inside, and slam it behind him.
It wasn’t until he’d slammed the door that he got a good look at her, and when he did, all his indignation fled. Her eyes and nose were red and tears still wet her cheeks.
“Aw, honey.” He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her.
“Don’t,” she sobbed against his chest.
“Don’t what?” He worked one hand up to tangle in her hair, keeping her firm against his chest as he kissed the top of her head.
“Don’t be nice to me.” Her words were broken by sobs. “Don’t be a good guy, Beckett.”
That surprised him enough to have him pull back and hold her at arm’s length. “What’s going on, Roxie?”
She shook her head and looked away. “Just leave, okay? This isn’t going to work.”
“What isn’t going to work?”
“You and me. Me working for you, us…us…you know.”
“You mean the bet? Forget the bet. I want to know what’s going on with you. Why’d you run?”
Her eyes met his then she looked away. “Can’t we just leave it at this isn’t going to work?”
“No.”
“Why?”
That one word shook him. Right down to his boots. He didn’t know her, not really. And sure, he was attracted to her, but attraction was a fleeting thing and always died. At least in his life. So why?
The answer was as shocking as the question and not one he wanted to own up to. As much as he’d like to deny it, somehow he’d fallen for her. The idea of her not being in his life gave him a rush of anxiety.
His knees went weak. Literally. He leaned back against the door, feeling something hot rushing through his body, making his breath quicken and his skin dampen with sudden perspiration.
God help him, he was in love with her. What was he supposed to do? He’d never felt anything like this. It was uncharted territory and scary as hell.
“I need you to stay.” He couldn’t admit his feelings, couldn’t tell her that he loved her. It was hard enough admitting it to himself.
“Why?”
Damn her, she wasn’t going to let him off the hook. “Like it or not, we’ve started something here, Roxie. And we need to at least give it a chance to see where it’ll go.”
The sob that tore loose from her had him instinctively pulling her close again. “Damn, honey, don’t cry.”
She shook her head, keeping her face averted. “It can’t go anywhere, Beckett. It can’t.”
“Because you don’t want it to go anywhere.” Anger fueled by rejection reared its head. He was a fool, thinking his feelings were mirrored, that she felt something for him.
“No,” she pulled away and faced him.
Roxie saw the pain and anger in his eyes and the realization hit her like a loaded dump truck. Beckett really cared for her. That unhinged her, robbed her of her resolve to end things without discussion or confession.
“I’m not who you think I am, Beckett. I’ve…I’ve done things.”
“Like rig a poker game and cheat a bunch of high-rollers out of millions?”
It was like a knife to her gut. His words cut deep and carried with them a rush of fear that had her wanting to take flight. How the hell had he found out? And was that all he knew?
She
How was she ever going to stop wanting him? And how was she going to explain to Cody and Hannah why she had to leave Cotton Creek as soon as possible?
Tears started to flow as she contemplated the mess she’d gotten herself in to and for the first in a long time, she gave into them and cried. For what had led her here and what would drive her away.
Pounding at the door interrupted her sobs. “Roxie! Open the door!”
It was Beckett.
“I mean it! Open it or I’ll break it down! Roxie!”
And wake the entire boarding house.
She scrambled off the bed and opened the door a crack. “Go away, Beckett.”
His response was to shove the door open, stalk inside, and slam it behind him.
It wasn’t until he’d slammed the door that he got a good look at her, and when he did, all his indignation fled. Her eyes and nose were red and tears still wet her cheeks.
“Aw, honey.” He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her.
“Don’t,” she sobbed against his chest.
“Don’t what?” He worked one hand up to tangle in her hair, keeping her firm against his chest as he kissed the top of her head.
“Don’t be nice to me.” Her words were broken by sobs. “Don’t be a good guy, Beckett.”
That surprised him enough to have him pull back and hold her at arm’s length. “What’s going on, Roxie?”
She shook her head and looked away. “Just leave, okay? This isn’t going to work.”
“What isn’t going to work?”
“You and me. Me working for you, us…us…you know.”
“You mean the bet? Forget the bet. I want to know what’s going on with you. Why’d you run?”
Her eyes met his then she looked away. “Can’t we just leave it at this isn’t going to work?”
“No.”
“Why?”
That one word shook him. Right down to his boots. He didn’t know her, not really. And sure, he was attracted to her, but attraction was a fleeting thing and always died. At least in his life. So why?
The answer was as shocking as the question and not one he wanted to own up to. As much as he’d like to deny it, somehow he’d fallen for her. The idea of her not being in his life gave him a rush of anxiety.
His knees went weak. Literally. He leaned back against the door, feeling something hot rushing through his body, making his breath quicken and his skin dampen with sudden perspiration.
God help him, he was in love with her. What was he supposed to do? He’d never felt anything like this. It was uncharted territory and scary as hell.
“I need you to stay.” He couldn’t admit his feelings, couldn’t tell her that he loved her. It was hard enough admitting it to himself.
“Why?”
Damn her, she wasn’t going to let him off the hook. “Like it or not, we’ve started something here, Roxie. And we need to at least give it a chance to see where it’ll go.”
The sob that tore loose from her had him instinctively pulling her close again. “Damn, honey, don’t cry.”
She shook her head, keeping her face averted. “It can’t go anywhere, Beckett. It can’t.”
“Because you don’t want it to go anywhere.” Anger fueled by rejection reared its head. He was a fool, thinking his feelings were mirrored, that she felt something for him.
“No,” she pulled away and faced him.
Roxie saw the pain and anger in his eyes and the realization hit her like a loaded dump truck. Beckett really cared for her. That unhinged her, robbed her of her resolve to end things without discussion or confession.
“I’m not who you think I am, Beckett. I’ve…I’ve done things.”
“Like rig a poker game and cheat a bunch of high-rollers out of millions?”
It was like a knife to her gut. His words cut deep and carried with them a rush of fear that had her wanting to take flight. How the hell had he found out? And was that all he knew?
She
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