Only one way to find out.

Once again, she reached out and covered his linked fingers with hers. “I can’t speak to your past serious relationships—”

“Relationship. Singular. These days I never let my interactions with women get past the superficial conversation stage. Karen was the one exception.”

That piece of news—plus the flicker of pain that flared in his dark brown irises—put a different spin on the situation . . . and revealed more than he’d perhaps intended to share.

The deep-seated fear behind Brent’s unwillingness to connect had been turbocharged by his one serious relationship that had gone south.

“Do you want to tell me what happened with her?”

The rain continued to pound overhead as she held her breath and waited for his response.

At last he swallowed. “That’s a story for another day. It’s getting late, and I should be going.”

Eve released the air in her lungs, doing her best to mask her disappointment.

He was done sharing for tonight.

Yet she should be thankful he’d opened up as much as he had and given her new insights.

The story about Karen could be a key piece of what made this man tick, but it would have to wait for a future tête-à-tête—unless he was so spooked by all he’d revealed tonight that he cut her off cold.

She had to reassure him the risk he’d taken was worthwhile . . . and appreciated.

“Okay.” She called up the ghost of a smile. “I’m grateful you told me as much as you did. I know it can be tough to open up like that.”

“Honestly?” His gaze locked with hers. “It wasn’t as hard as I expected—and that’s a tribute to you. You have excellent listening skills.”

“Is that why you told me? Because I was a receptive sounding board?”

She already knew the answer to that question, but it was important for him to acknowledge it to her—and to himself. If he wanted to override his instinct to back off when the subject matter got too personal, he had to learn to talk to people he could trust.

Like her.

And he did want to conquer his problem. Otherwise he wouldn’t have risked what he had tonight with her.

As she waited him out, he shifted in his chair. Swiped his thumb over a stray piece of icing on his plate. Picked up his mug of cooling coffee.

The dark liquid sloshed against the edges.

Telling.

This strong, capable, accomplished man who’d gone head-to-head with very bad people on the streets was big-time scared.

Her heart melted.