She rested against his chest. “Well, you know I was a Realtor. Because of Jack’s business and the girls’ school, we knew a lot of people in town, so I did pretty well. I was on phone duty at the office one Saturday when I got a call from a guy who was relocating to Newport from San Diego. He told me he was divorced with two kids and that he was coming to town the following week to look for a house. Sam…” She paused to take a deep breath.

Aidan tightened his hold on her.

“His name was Sam,” she continued, determined to get through this. “He was tall, blond, and very good-looking. The other women in the office joked that they’d fight me for him. While we were out house hunting, we talked about our kids, and he showed me pictures of his. The second day, we looked at three houses.” Tears rolled down her face, and she wiped them away. “The third house was near the beach, and it was empty. We went upstairs. There was a great view of the beach, and I went over to look at it. He came up behind me and lifted me off my feet. I didn’t know what he was doing. And then I was on the floor, and he was on top of me.”

“Stop, Clare, stop,” Aidan hissed through gritted teeth. “That’s enough.”

“I need to tell you.”

“No. I already know.”

Stunned, she sat up and turned to look at him. “How?” And then she knew. “Oh, oh, God, the girls told you?”

He nodded. “Unintentionally.”

“You’ve known all this time?”

Again he nodded. “That’s one reason why it was all I could do to keep from killing Brandon.”

Clare freed herself from his embrace and stood up. “I just… I can’t believe you knew and never said anything. I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to tell you, and you already knew?”

“I figured you’d tell me when you were ready.”

All the fight went out of her. “What else do you know?” she whispered as tears spilled down her cheeks.

“I know about the accident and the coma. I know you’re one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met because you let your husband go rather than make him choose between you and another woman. I know that last night you dreamed about the attack. And I know I’ve only ever felt that helpless one other time in my life.”

Clare brought her hand to her mouth, hoping to muffle a sob.

Aidan was on his feet so fast she had no time to react before she was surrounded by his love.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

He brought her down onto his lap. “What in the world do you have to be sorry about?”