When her chin quivered, Paul cupped her cheek and ran his thumb over her chin. “Why were you crying earlier? What happened?”

She glanced up at him with a tremulous smile. “You happened.”

“Me? I thought you said this wasn’t going to work.”

“I did, and I meant it because I’m still so messed up over everything with Carl. It wouldn’t be fair to get involved with you—”

“Do you still love him?”

“No. God, no.”

Paul didn’t think. He acted, laying his lips over hers. For the longest time, he did nothing more than rub his lips against hers, hoping she was getting the message that even knowing what he now did, he still wanted her. In fact, if possible, he wanted her more after hearing what she’d survived.

Tears tumbled down her cheeks, but her hand wrapped around his wrist, holding him close rather than pushing him away.

“I’m scared,” she said.

“Of what? You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

She nodded.

“Hope… Why? I would never hurt you or Ethan. If I had you both in my life, I’d consider myself the luckiest guy in the world. Tell me why you’re scared.”

“I had no idea about Carl. I never even suspected. If I let myself go there again…”

“Carl was a bad guy. I’m not a bad guy. I’m not the best guy who ever lived, but I do the right thing most of the time. In fact, most of the men I know do, too.”

“I want so badly to believe you.”

“You can believe me. You can believe in me. I can’t promise you that whatever this is between us will last forever, but I can guarantee that I’ll never intentionally do anything to cause you or Ethan any more pain than you’ve already endured.”

Closing her eyes, she leaned into the hand he still had on her face. “I love the way you make me feel, Paul. I never thought I’d ever feel that way again.”

Paul kissed her, this time more insistently, sliding his tongue back and forth over her lips until they parted to allow him in. God, she was sweet and responsive and sexy. He was thankful that she’d told him about her past so he knew what he was dealing with.

Her arms encircled his neck as her tongue rubbed his, setting him on fire with desire. Instinct took over, leading him to arrange her under him without breaking the increasingly desperate kiss. The alignment of their bodies had his erection pressed against the heat of her core. He wanted to touch her there. He wanted to touch her everywhere. But more than anything, he wanted her to trust him, and that wasn’t going to happen overnight.

So he softened the kiss and kept his hands firmly planted on the sofa on either side of her head.