Shaking her head, she turned for the bedroom door once again. “I don’t believe that.”
“No?” He was desperate. “Try me. Fire any question at me. See what I say. Judge for yourself if I’m telling the truth or not.”
Her gaze darted to him.
His head cocked to the right.
“Game on,” she murmured.
War wasn’t sure what she meant by that.
“Fine.” Her hands went to her hips. “What did you think that first time when we met in your bar? You were all smooth and seductive. Was I another in a long line of pickups? Do you use the same routine on us all? Drop that oh-so-dramatic line of, ‘I’ve been waiting for the night when you’d walk into my bar…’ to all the ladies who catch your eye?”
He forced his jaw to unclench. She wanted honesty. He would give it to her. “I only used that with you, and it wasn’t a line. I meant what I said.”
“You’d been waiting for me?” Her tone mocked him. “You didn’t even know me. How can you wait for someone you don’t know?”
“Because, baby, I watched you every night on the news. I had the biggest crush of my life—on you. When you walked into my bar, there was no way I was going to let you leave without at least trying for a shot with you. My hands were sweaty. My heart was about to burst out of my chest. I felt like a freaking sixteen-year-old kid on his first date, but nothing was going to stop me from talking to you.”
Surprise had her lips parting.
“Got more questions?” He motioned toward her. “Ask away.”
“You wouldn’t let me in.”
His brow furrowed. “I let you in my home. My bar. Hell, I gave you keys to both places.” Keys she still had.
“I mean—you wouldn’t tell me about you. I did all the talking. Whenever I asked about you, you shut me down. Changed the subject. Got me naked. Whatever worked.”
War took a moment to gather his thoughts on this one. “Just so you know, whenever I have the opportunity to get you naked, I’ll be taking it. Having you naked with me is pretty much my favorite thing in the whole world.”
Her eyes widened.
“But I changed the subject because talking about battles and death and people I couldn’t save and lives that I had to take—I didn’t want that to touch you. I don’t like for anything bad to touch you. That’s why I got so tense when you took the crime beat. I was worried about you. I didn’t want you facing danger. I never want that. I guess that leads back to me being a bastard—where you are concerned, I am particularly greedy.” Had been, always would be. “You see, I wanted you forever, Rose, and I didn’t want anything to ever jeopardize you. I didn’t want anything to scare you. Especially not my own past. I figured if you didn’t know the things I’d done, then you couldn’t be afraid. I thought I was finding a way to keep you close. Didn’t realize until too late that it was just another thing pushing you away.”
“How…” She stopped.
“Ask. Whatever it is, ask.” He was desperate. Everything had changed when he saw her fighting for her life in that motel room—everything. When you realized how close you were to losing the person who mattered most, you fucking shifted priorities. He’d lied since finding her at Finch’s, yes, but he had truly done it to protect her. For Rose, there was nothing he wouldn’t do.
Her safety would always come first for him.
“How did you really feel about me when we were together?” Her voice was hesitant. Halting. “Was it just about sex?”
He closed remaining bit of distance between them. Her head tipped back as she stared up at him. “You have the most incredible eyes,” he murmured. “I love the shade. I look into your eyes, and nothing else seems quite as important as you.”
A furrow appeared between her eyebrows. “War?”
“The sex was amazing. No one else has ever come close to making me feel like you do. I lost control in bed with you. I didn’t do that with anyone else. I could never get enough. I wanted you over and over again. If I had my way, I would have fucked you twelve times a day.”
She licked her lower lip. “That’s a lot of times.”
His mouth curled. “Yes. And you had work, so I tried to be a gentleman.” He lost his smile. “But I’m not very good at being a guy like that. I’m better at being the bastard who eliminates threats and kicks ass.” He motioned to the perfect condo. “That guy didn’t fit so well in your world. He tried, but it wasn’t his scene.”
Her gaze darted around the condo. “I liked having you in my world.”
Baby, you are about to break me. “I—”
“I should go to bed. My head is killing me, and I need some time to think.”
He’d pushed enough. “I’ll stay on the couch.”
She turned away. “I have a guest room, if you remember.”
He remembered everything about her.
“You can sleep in there. It’s just a full bed, though, so it might not be long enough for you.”
He’d take the couch. Not because the bed wouldn’t be long enough. He didn’t care about that. The couch’s location put him closer to her.
She pushed open her bedroom door, but still didn’t cross the threshold. She lingered, and War realized he was holding his breath as he waited for Rose to speak. But she didn’t say anything. Just finally stepped inside, and War knew he was missing his chance.
Fuck my pride.
He bounded after her. Just as the door was swinging shut, his hand flew up to flatten against the wood. Surprised, she whirled toward him.
“I was falling in love with you,” he told her flatly. “That’s how I felt. That’s why I lost my head when I got that photo of you and Dylan. I wanted you, only you, and I wanted you for keeps.” His breath sawed in and out.
Her eyes were so wide.
God, he loved her beautiful gaze. “Ask,” he rasped because he could see the question on her face.
“What…what do you want right now?”
“I want the same thing I wanted before. You. Only you.” He wanted her mouth. Wanted to kiss her and get lost in her and let the rest of the world fall away. He wanted to take and take and take, and he wanted Rose to do the same. He wanted the time that he’d lost with her—he wanted it back. “I want a second chance.”
There. Done.
He shoved away from the door. “But for now, I’ll be on the couch. You can sleep easy, sweet—Rose.” Dammit, how many endearments had he been dropping? She didn’t want him using those endearments. She’d told him that. “You’re safe tonight.”
She stared at him a moment longer. So many emotions were flying through her gaze. He held his breath.
She shut the door.
Couch. Fucking couch. Get on it.
***
Rose stared at the door. Second chance. Her breath expelled slowly. He’d been all sexy and serious and downright lickable as he delivered his low, rumbling words to her. His dark eyes had burned with a sensual light as he’d said that what he wanted was—
You. Only you.
Her whole body was quivery. Her mind was in total chaos. She was furious with him. She hurt. And, dammit all to hell, she still wanted him, too. Nothing had changed that.