intense."
"We're good together." Traye raised his head and kissed and licked her swollen lips, making her want him all over again. He nudged her. "Don't you agree?"
"We are." No matter how much he'd hurt her, she couldn't seem to turn away from him. Only, she had to. She couldn't do this anymore. "Too bad it took my father, and not me, to make you see it."
"Victoria…" Traye still lay on top of her and had his arms wrapped around her. He eyed her with suspension before moving off her with a scowl. Yet his arms held firm. "Are you still angry?"
"No, not so much angry, but I have accepted the truth."
"What do you mean?" He loosened his hold on her.
Victoria pulled away, got up, and searched for her clothes. "I wish I could let go of why you've suddenly decided I'm marriage material, but I can't. I didn't get it until I saw you and my brother going at it without any thought about me or what I wanted. The kicker is how you want to be in a relationship after visiting my father. I may love you, but I have enough self-respect to walk away instead of entering into something my father has more control over then me."
She dressed in haste because she wanted to run before he caught on to her intentions.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm leaving. This was nice, by the way. I'll catch you later. Have a nice life."
"Jeez, Victoria, what do you want from me? I just put everything out there for you."
"I appreciate that. Just a little too late." She shrugged. "Sorry."
"Sorry?" Traye's face grew red. "Your brother was right. I should have stayed far away from you."
"My brother wasn't right, and that's the point. If you don't have the guts to do this on your own, I don't want anything you have to offer. This Traye is not the Traye I fell for."
"My God, I love you. What more can I offer you? You know I have nothing else."
"You have integrity and pride. Or at least, you did. I want to mean more to you than my father does. Until I know that, I'm not committing to anything."
"How in the blazes do I do that?"
"Figure it out." Victoria shrugged. "On your own, this time."
She darted out the door and the wind hit her exposed skin. Tears escaping her eyes, she jumped into her vehicle, brought it to life, and spun the wheels to get away from the cabin as fast possible. Traye had been more upset than she thought he'd be. Her father must have one strong hold on him. Part of her felt good for giving it back to him, but the other part wanted to dive into his arms and never leave. She had to be strong.
*****
Traye punched the mattress in frustration. How could she do this? Damn her. He'd finally given her what she wanted, and she'd used him and walked away. Robert wouldn't like this. Not at all. Traye had given it his best shot, so certainly Robert wouldn't hold his daughter's decision against him, would he?
To be honest, he didn't know where the disappointment filling his chest had come from. Was it because she'd walked out on him like his mother had, or because he loved her more than he could ever admit? He'd always thought of Victoria as his little sister or a good friend, never as a wife. He'd never let himself think of any female in that capacity. Why would he want to take the chance of them walking away? Why would he think of dragging a woman, especially Victoria, into his screwed up life? Robert's demand had changed his mind, and for a little while he'd thought he could have Victoria with him for the rest of his life.
Then she'd proven his fear right. She had walked away. He'd poured out his heart to her, and this was how she'd repaid him. He'd opened up because he'd never dreamed she'd say no or give him a brutal kick to the curb. He wanted Robert's approval. That had always meant more to him than anything, except now he wanted -- no, needed -- Victoria's love as well.
As if someone had just slapped some sense into him, Traye widened his eyes. His love for her ran much deeper than he'd thought possible. If not for
"We're good together." Traye raised his head and kissed and licked her swollen lips, making her want him all over again. He nudged her. "Don't you agree?"
"We are." No matter how much he'd hurt her, she couldn't seem to turn away from him. Only, she had to. She couldn't do this anymore. "Too bad it took my father, and not me, to make you see it."
"Victoria…" Traye still lay on top of her and had his arms wrapped around her. He eyed her with suspension before moving off her with a scowl. Yet his arms held firm. "Are you still angry?"
"No, not so much angry, but I have accepted the truth."
"What do you mean?" He loosened his hold on her.
Victoria pulled away, got up, and searched for her clothes. "I wish I could let go of why you've suddenly decided I'm marriage material, but I can't. I didn't get it until I saw you and my brother going at it without any thought about me or what I wanted. The kicker is how you want to be in a relationship after visiting my father. I may love you, but I have enough self-respect to walk away instead of entering into something my father has more control over then me."
She dressed in haste because she wanted to run before he caught on to her intentions.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm leaving. This was nice, by the way. I'll catch you later. Have a nice life."
"Jeez, Victoria, what do you want from me? I just put everything out there for you."
"I appreciate that. Just a little too late." She shrugged. "Sorry."
"Sorry?" Traye's face grew red. "Your brother was right. I should have stayed far away from you."
"My brother wasn't right, and that's the point. If you don't have the guts to do this on your own, I don't want anything you have to offer. This Traye is not the Traye I fell for."
"My God, I love you. What more can I offer you? You know I have nothing else."
"You have integrity and pride. Or at least, you did. I want to mean more to you than my father does. Until I know that, I'm not committing to anything."
"How in the blazes do I do that?"
"Figure it out." Victoria shrugged. "On your own, this time."
She darted out the door and the wind hit her exposed skin. Tears escaping her eyes, she jumped into her vehicle, brought it to life, and spun the wheels to get away from the cabin as fast possible. Traye had been more upset than she thought he'd be. Her father must have one strong hold on him. Part of her felt good for giving it back to him, but the other part wanted to dive into his arms and never leave. She had to be strong.
*****
Traye punched the mattress in frustration. How could she do this? Damn her. He'd finally given her what she wanted, and she'd used him and walked away. Robert wouldn't like this. Not at all. Traye had given it his best shot, so certainly Robert wouldn't hold his daughter's decision against him, would he?
To be honest, he didn't know where the disappointment filling his chest had come from. Was it because she'd walked out on him like his mother had, or because he loved her more than he could ever admit? He'd always thought of Victoria as his little sister or a good friend, never as a wife. He'd never let himself think of any female in that capacity. Why would he want to take the chance of them walking away? Why would he think of dragging a woman, especially Victoria, into his screwed up life? Robert's demand had changed his mind, and for a little while he'd thought he could have Victoria with him for the rest of his life.
Then she'd proven his fear right. She had walked away. He'd poured out his heart to her, and this was how she'd repaid him. He'd opened up because he'd never dreamed she'd say no or give him a brutal kick to the curb. He wanted Robert's approval. That had always meant more to him than anything, except now he wanted -- no, needed -- Victoria's love as well.
As if someone had just slapped some sense into him, Traye widened his eyes. His love for her ran much deeper than he'd thought possible. If not for
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