“Why did we ever plan my wedding around my book’s release? It was stupid. I thought it was a brilliant idea, but it was just stupid. Look where all my planning has gotten me. My career is over, Lucas.” Her voice wobbled. The tears chased each other rapid fire.

“Shhhh.” He pulled her to him and caressed her hair, letting her cry. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her fingers clutching his T-shirt. She was falling apart, his composed Kate. He hadn’t thought it possible.

A bucket of guilt poured down on him like the rain that deluged the ground outside. This was all his fault. He was the one who’d offered to stand in for Bryan. If not for him, Kate would have told the truth. Sure, it would have been hard. It may have ruined her book sales, but it wouldn’t have wrecked her career.

“I’m sorry, Kate,” he whispered into her hair. He’d thought he was saving her, but he’d ruined her instead. “It’s my fault.”

She sniveled. “No, it isn’t.” She shook her head against his chest. “It was my decision.”

“It was my idea.” His arms tightened around her as his thoughts went back to that morning when he’d seen her so shaken, seen her eyes deaden to the reality of her situation.

“I was just trying to—” Save you. Love you. His gut tightened.

She pulled away, looking up at him. “Stop it.” One last tear trailed down her cheek. “You were only trying to help.”

He brushed the tear away, dried her face with his thumbs. Her eyes were sad pools of regret, her lashes spiked with moisture. If only he could clean up the mess he’d made so easily. He had been trying to help that day, trying to wipe that look of despair from her face. He would have done anything to accomplish that.

And yet here was despair again, sevenfold.

“I would never hurt you,” he whispered. Did she believe him? It was important that she did.

“I know.” Her lips barely moved on the words. A tear trembled in the corner of her mouth. He swept it away, his thumb lingering over the plump curve of her lower lip.

Mercy, did she know how much he cared for her? How much he wanted her to be completely his? Did she know he’d do anything to protect her?

Did she know he loved her? The words hovered on the tip of his tongue, wavering, eager to escape, yet afraid of the consequences. What would she do if she knew? What would she say if she knew he’d loved her from the beginning?

Kate wanted to lose herself in Lucas’s eyes, in those fathomless green depths. Something stirred in her. His words replayed in her head. “I would never hurt you.”