I wanted to feel relief. But I didn’t. Something was standing between us, but I was damned if I knew what. “Then what the hell? You give me this bullshit line about us wanting different things, that it’s over, then you should have the guts to tell me why.”

“Are you calling me a coward?”

“If the shoe fits, sweetheart.”

Her teeth met with an audible snap. “Don’t you dare play that card. Not when you duck your head any time things get too emotional.”

The force of her words punched past my defenses, and I blinked, my stance sagging. “You’re right. That was a low blow. I’m sorry, all right. But, shit, Parker, I’m lost here.”

“I saw you with that blond today,” she said abruptly, her eyes big and round with hurt. “At lunch. You were hugging her.”

Realization hit. Fuck. She had the wrong idea. “You think I’m cheating?”

“No.” She laughed hollowly. “Not when I took a minute to think about it. That’s not your style. I know it here.” She tapped her temple. “You wouldn’t cheat. You’re too honorable. But when I saw you hug another woman, it wasn’t my head that was leading me. It was my heart. It was my heart that broke.”

Her pain hit me like a lash, and I reached for her. But she held up a hand, forestalling me. “No. Don’t… let me say this.”

“All right,” I rasped, my throat closing up on me.

“I’ve only had one other relationship before you—”

“That makes one more than I’ve had,” I cut in, unable to help myself.

Parker nodded. “I get that. But even you must know that a relationship can’t thrive solely on sex.”

I felt pinned, unable to breathe. I’d been doing her wrong and hadn’t noticed. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Maybe she was right. Maybe I wasn’t for her. But even as I thought it, my mind—my fucking heart—rebelled.

“It isn’t just sex,” I repeated through my clenched teeth.

Parker stared at me with those eyes that cut to the bone. “That’s the point, Rhys. How am I supposed to know when every time I’ve attempted to talk to you about how you’re feeling these past few weeks you’ve distracted me and opted for sex instead? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about the sex—I can barely keep my hands off you either.” A soft, lopsided smile pulled at her lips but didn’t reach her eyes. “But we haven’t had a real conversation since we left Fairchild’s lodge. We were closer then but now… you have a tendency to withdraw and keep everything to yourself when it comes to emotional support. And it … hurts.”

Fuck. “Parker—”