ing and failing to focus on the f

office door. "Come in,"

in, shutting it behind him with a

ight of him. She shot up from her chair, sending it c

she spat out through gritted te

le that used to make her knees weak. "Now, n

to face, close enough for her to smell his spicy cologne. It was the same scent tha

side, focusing on the white-hot anger coursing

e, just let

saw an opportunity for a meaningless fling and Amanda was convenient? That you're an arroga

ed hair. "Sweetheart, I know I screwed up big time. But we b

with a mix of anguish and fury. "After the devastation you caused me? Th

ened again. "I was a fool, a stupid fool who didn't see how amazing you are until I lost

wrenched it away violently. "Your p

at irresistible pout she used to find so endearing. "I'm still in

ice. "Love? You don't know the meaning of the word! How dare you think you can just pick up

s eyes wild and imploring. "I'll spend every day proving my worth i

zing with a scorching mix of anger, lust, and something she refused to identify as longin

tried to cup her face but she smack

chest and relishing the flare of pain in his expression. "There is no 'we' anymore. No reconciliation,

etter of it as Emma glared daggers at him. After a tense momen

about me anymore,

about me? There is nothing that's going to happen between us anymore

over what I did. I was unforgivably stupid and selfish. I took you for granted, and

ider his next words. "But if you're going to choose someone else

is words that she didn't want to acknowledge. "You have no right to tell me how to l

d in a heartbeat," Mark said, his voice thick with remorse.

p to guard her heart. Emma swallowed hard, fighting to maintain her stee

ling intensity. "You can't just throw away what we shared, Em

n the sheets, lazy Sundays cuddled on the couch, and the way Mark's laugh used to make

iling inside her. She had to get him out of there before he utterly obliterated her r

her to feel the warmth radiating from his body. She could smell that damn cologne again, th

k an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "I know you still have feel

her body's instinctive reaction. "You're delusional," she s

ingers along her flushed cheek, his tou

osed despite her mind screaming at her to push him away. Part of her, the foolish, naïve

oss her lips. "Let me remind you what we could have together. O

ing an electric current zinging through her veins. All her anger and heartbreak rec

g kiss, there was a sharp rap on the door. "Ms. Montgomery?

ckly took a jerky step back, putting some much-needed distance betwe

shed. What had she almost done? She was getting married to James, wasn't she? Yet even now, after so

irade to banish him from her office, from her life, once and for all.

yet firmly. "Not until you convince me you've tru

ed to rail at him, to hurl venomous denials, but something held her back. A tiny flicker of doubt, perhaps, o

Holding her gaze, he nodded once before turning on h