Don’t be like me.”

Sadie didn’t immediately speak, and Rory immediately kicked himself for saying what he had. It was a struggle for him to share and be open. His previous relationships had ended because he couldn’t, wouldn’t open up, and they were right, he hadn’t been willing to share many thoughts, never mind feelings. But the past had held him back far too long. If he wanted more out of life, if he wanted the chance he’d prayed for that night in Clovis, California, then he had to try to give more and trust more, even if it felt foreign as hell.

“Well, that would be wonderful,” she answered, giving him a watery smile. “I was just worried the cold would hurt your hip.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I’m tougher than I look,” he answered dryly.

Her head jerked up, brown eyes wide with surprise and then she realized he was teasing, and she laughed even as she cried.

She was a walking disaster, he thought, torn between tenderness and exasperation, but at least she was his disaster.

Rory leaned across the corner of the table and kissed her. Her lips quivered beneath his, soft and salty from tears, and yet her warm mouth tasted impossibly sweet. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of kissing her, which was a good thing since he didn’t intend to let her go.

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Sadie didn’t want the kiss to ever end. She felt so good and warm, deliciously warm, and when he lifted his head, ending the kiss, her cheeks burned, and her lips tingled, and she felt exquisitely sensitive all over.

“You have to stop doing that,” she whispered, realizing she had no idea how to manage him, and her feelings were most definitely not under control. “People will get ideas.” I will get ideas.

“Let them. You’re beautiful, and I’m enjoying being with you.”

Heat flooded her, but also anxiety. The compliment was lovely. He was lovely. But wasn’t that the problem? Rory made her want the sun and the moon and all the stars, but how was that realistic? If once she started hoping and dreaming again, how would she ever settle for a quiet, normal life without him?

“You don’t do forever, remember?” she said huskily, stressed, parched. Her hand shook as she reached for her water glass. She took a long, rather desperate drink to cool off, as well as pull herself together. By the time she set the glass back down she felt calmer and more in control. “Rory, you’ve no interest in settling down. You don’t like feelings. I love feelings. You don’t want to settle down and I’m planning on becoming a mom. Our goals and plans don’t align—” She broke off when the waitress arrived with their lunch.

Sadie was grateful for the interruption. She exhaled and leaned back against the seat while Rory gave her a look that made her think they weren’t done with this conversation.

That expression of his made her nervous. But then, he was making her nervous. Rory brought out the most emotional, impractical, irrational side of her, and Sadie was exhausted from being emotional, impractical and irrational. It was time she grew into the person she was meant to be, the woman her mother raised her to be, which was strong, self-sufficient, and independent. Not teary and fragile and emotionally dependent.

She’d vowed to make permanent life changes, changes that meant she’d use her brain, not her heart, and she’d made good progress by coming back, moving into her childhood home, and working at a local business instead of jetting all over the country. But Rory threatened everything, the stability and peace of mind, she’d worked so hard to achieve.

Rory finished his sandwich before she’d gotten through half of hers. The moment he was done, he pushed his plate back and focused on her. “Are you and this Paul guy in an exclusive relationship?”

Sadie nearly choked on her bite of turkey sandwich, the bread and meat suddenly way too dry to swallow easily.