“I didn’t actually say anything untruthful. All I said was that none of them would be surprised to learn I had bought the apartment complex.” His eyebrows bobbed. “That was completely true.”
“Technically, I suppose…” Her gaze flicked to the orderly display of shopping bags. “Are all those for me?”
“Yep!” He stepped to the side and swept his hand toward the table. “It’s chocolate! Finn told me he always apologized to Laurie with chocolate, so I thought I should do the same.”
“Chocolate?” Her mouth watered. “All of that is chocolate? Why did you get so much?”
“For one thing, I didn’t know what kind you like, so I got some of everything. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, nuts, no nuts, caramel, cherry, chewy centers, soft centers…”
His anxious eyes followed her as she explored the bags. He must’ve bought out an entire chocolate store. Some were assorted boxed chocolates. Others were individually wrapped in tissue inside white paper bags. She selected a piece of dark chocolate almond bark. One bite, and taste-bud heaven exploded in her mouth.
“Oh my gosh! That’s amazing!”
“You like it? Am I forgiven then?”
Her happy tongue wanted her to say, “Yes! Of course!” But she had to stay strong. While she’d been with Nathan, she’d constantly pushed her own wants and needs aside, trying to please him. Her mom and her sister had warned her, but she’d refused to believe it. If she allowed Cole to manipulate her now, wasn’t she doing the same thing?
“I love the chocolate, but I’m still waiting for the apology you promised.”
He folded his hands together and held them to his chin in a pose of prayer. “Please forgive me for this afternoon. I don’t know why I acted without thinking things through. And I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. All I can say is, I lost my temper.”
“You seem to have a bad one.”
“I’ll admit that’s true.” His hands fell to his sides. “But I’m not usually like that. Years of martial arts have taught me self-control. There’s no excuse for my behavior, except that I was so angry with your ex that I couldn’t think straight. I wanted him to feel sorry for what he did to you. I wanted him to regret it.”
“And that’s why you kissed me on the lips?”
“That was an accident.” The toe of his boot scuffed the floor.
“It didn’t feel accidental.”
He moved close and reached for her hand, his thumb caressing her skin. “If you’ll forgive me, it’ll never happen again.”
“Okay, you’re forgiven.” She jerked away from his tempting heat. “Now, it’s time for you to go.”
“Wait. We need to start making some plans. My security team will be here any minute.”
“Security team? I thought that was another exaggerated truth you told to get rid of the press.”
“We’ll work out the details after Mack gets here, but something has to happen. Either we move you tonight or set you up with a bodyguard. You can’t stay here without protection.”
“This sounds like you telling me what to do again.”
“I don’t want to control you, Brooklyn. I just want you to be safe.”
“No one but Dad calls me that. And he only does it when he’s angry.”
“I have no desire to be your father, but you need to listen to me. This apartment is too dangerous.”
“It’s plenty safe. You put a new lock on, remember?”
“Someone could still break in. Or you could be ambushed. Once this story hits the airwaves, you could be a target for crazies.”
After her encounter with the paparazzi, she was inclined to agree. But she didn’t dare concede. “I’m no more a target than you are, and I don’t see you walking around with a bodyguard.”
“If you were a black belt, I wouldn’t be worried about you, either.”
“It’s. Not. Happening.” She crossed her arms.
A strangled grunt came out of his throat.
“If you don’t want a security detail, at least let me move you to a safer place.”
She hated her apartment, but it was all she could afford, since Nathan had left her. If not for her pride, she would’ve caved in an instant. “I don’t want to owe you anything, Cole. We need a clean break.”
His eyes went wide. “A break? I thought you said you forgave me?”
“I did. But we still need to end this one-sided friendship or whatever it is. You’ve done enough for me.”
“Not by my accounting.” He pulled a chair out from the table, turned it sideways and sank into it, rubbing his fingers on his temples. “All I’ve done is to make dinner, put in a deadbolt, and buy you some chocolate. In exchange, I’ve probably cost you your job.”
“I would’ve lost it anyway, you know.” She rotated an adjacent chair to face him and found another piece of chocolate-covered almond bark before sitting down. “They’d have found out about the divorce, eventually.”
“But not this soon.” He shook his head. “I’ve really made a mess out of things, but I can fix it. I’ll offer Hayward Home a large donation if they’ll agree to let you stay on. It’s the least I can do.”
“No way! I’m not letting you spend any more money on me.” She flexed her feet, which had started to ache. In fact, every muscle in her body felt sore. What she needed was a soak in a hot tub. Was it even okay to do that when you were pregnant? She had so many questions. Maybe she could get a doctor’s appointment early next week, before the board at Hayward Home had time to meet and vote to fire her.
“Put your feet up here and I’ll rub them for you.” Cole patted his knees. When she hesitated, a hurt look crossed his face. “I can just use my real hand if you’re afraid of Shrek.”
