“I saw the way he kissed you last night. Hell, the whole bar saw it. If that wasn’t a claiming, then I don’t know what the hell is. With that one kiss, he let every guy in the bar know that you were off-limits and that you were with him.”

Absently, Preslee’s fingers touched her lips. She loved every second of that steamy kiss he had planted on her in the bar. Adam could kiss. Like really kiss.

What if Josh was right and Adam really did love her? It was true that no other man had ever made her feel as safe and as protected and as…well, sexy as Adam had. He had somehow instilled a confidence in her that wasn’t there before. Probably because he’d always treated her as though she mattered.

Well, except for the one time he didn’t.

But everyone made mistakes. Could she forgive Adam for hurting her and making her feel insignificant this once? She wasn’t sure. Maybe he hadn’t meant to make her feel that way, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

“I can see your wheels turning,” Josh said, reaching across the table and placing one hand over hers. “You don’t have to decide anything tonight, Preslee. Just take some time to figure out what you want to do. Sometimes problems take a while to work themselves out.”

She nodded. It was good advice. She was still reeling from finding out that Adam had lied and used her. But, with the way she felt right now, nothing was going to get resolved tonight or probably even this week. It would take time for her to come to terms with it and figure out what she wanted to do. “Thanks, Josh. I think I will take some time. It’s all too fresh for me to make any decisions right now.”

“That’s smart thinking.”

She shrugged. “Besides, I don’t even know what Adam wants.”

“He wants you,” Josh said with a grin. “Anyone with eyes can see that.”

“I don’t know. I never thought he was the type who would go after someone like me. But then after last night…”

Confusion warped Josh’s features. “What happened last night?”

Her cheeks heated. “Uh, well, I guess you can say I got my hopes up.”

“Only to be disappointed by him today.”

“Yeah.”

His eyes filled with sympathy. “Any guy would be lucky to have you.”

She wasn’t getting the impression that Josh wanted anything more than friendship, which was fine by her. She didn’t want him to want her. Not anymore. But why else would he ask her out?