But now she worried that with the sentiment already being that she was a…slut…she would merely perpetuate that belief if she wore anything that wasn’t ultraconservative. And that pissed her off. She shouldn’t care what these people thought of her. But it wasn’t that easy. They were important to Ryan and Ryan was important to her.

Warm hands suddenly stole over her body, sliding around to her belly. She was drawn into a hard chest and sensual lips nibbled at her neck.

She sighed and relaxed into Ryan, her pulse speeding up.

“Is there a particular reason you’re standing in your closet staring at your clothes?” he murmured against her ear.

She turned and laced her arms around his neck as she rose up on tiptoe to kiss him. “You’re home early.”

“Couldn’t wait to see you. So what’s with the closet?”

Her lips twisted into a frown and she let out a disgruntled sigh. “Just trying to find something to wear tonight. Something that doesn’t make me look like the tramp they think I am.”

Ryan’s expression gentled and he trailed a finger over her cheekbone. Taking her arms, he backed out of her closet and toward the bed until the back of his legs bumped against the mattress.

He sat down and pulled her down with him.

“You’ll look beautiful no matter what you wear. Stop worrying so much.”

“I know. It’s silly. I can’t help it. I’m nervous.”

“I don’t want you to worry, Kell. The past is in the past. I don’t know that I’ve ever said the words, but I forgive you. And if I can forgive you then they should be able to do the same.”

She went completely still. Pain jolted through her chest as if someone had stabbed her. Not that she knew what it felt like but it couldn’t be worse than this.

He forgave her.

For something she’d never done. For something he refused to believe she hadn’t done.

It took all the strength she possessed not to react, not to lash out. He hadn’t said it to hurt her. But he couldn’t possibly imagine how much she was bleeding inside right now.

He was trying to do the generous thing. He was trying to make her feel at ease.

He kissed her gently on the brow. “We both made mistakes. I’m not blameless. The important thing is that we never let what happened in the past happen again.”

Numbly she nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak. What could she say?

She closed her eyes and leaned into him. He hugged her to him and rubbed his hand up and down her back. He offered comfort. He thought she was worked up about tonight. How could he possibly know that his “forgiveness” made her want to die?