Read Online The Better Man by Cerian Hebert - Free Book Online Page A

be patting me on the back and telling me how
sorry they are about what happened with Brian. But behind my back, I’ll be the
hot topic of conversation. My friends, too. Oh, not my closest friends, but the
ones I used to ‘share’ with Brian. I don’t want to be the topic of conversation
for everyone.”
    “When are you
planning on dealing with Brian? You don’t see this as avoiding the situation?”
    Lori sighed and
closed her eyes. “I’ll have to deal with him soon. Sooner than I want, I
suspect.” And it would take all her strength not to shove his engagement ring
down his throat.
    “You’re not still
in love with him , are you?” He asked the question slowly, as if it were the
last thing he wanted to ask, as if he were afraid of the answer he’d get.
    Her eyes shot
open and she faced him. “God, no. I’ve done a lot of thinking on this trip.
Being alone does that.”
    “I thought you
said you hadn’t thought of Brian since you’ve been here.”
    She smiled.
“No, I said I never thought of him at night. When I was alone in this bed, I
only thought of you. During the day, all bets were off. Now, let me finish. I
thought a lot about my relationship with him, where it went wrong, what I did
to drive him away. I had to figure out why my love wasn’t enough for
him, and then it dawned on me. It was because I didn’t love him. I’d stopped
truly loving him years ago. No wonder the poor guy went out and found some
young thing who’d adore him. I wasn’t fulfilling that need anymore. And you
know what? I didn’t care. I know that sounds bitchy and cold, but it was true.
Loving him, being with him, had become a job, a chore. Poor guy.”
    “Still didn’t
give him the right to go out and do what he did.” Will’s voice was gruff,
tinged with anger.
    “And look what
I did. Basically the same thing. It was all in the timing.”
    “Please don’t
say you don’t love me, Lori. Don’t you dare tell me you regret what has
happened.” He gently cupped her chin in his palm so she had to look at him. His
eyes were so dark, so powerful. Even with the frown—maybe especially with the
frown—he held her mesmerized. Helpless.
    “I’ll never say
that. Not ever. But Will, I need to do this. Give it a shot. Maybe I’ll come
back down someday. Maybe it’ll be next week. But I have to give a new life a
chance.”
    “You’re
breaking my heart again. I know that’s not a very manly thing to say, but
that’s what you’re doing, Lori.”
    “Then stay with
me. Pack up your things and move up here with me. We can be crazy together and
find out where this thing is going.”
    Will leaned
forward and pressed his mouth to hers in a sweet, soft kiss that sent butterflies
to all her extremities. But he pulled back before they went any further and
shook his head.
    “Not until you
love me the same way I love you. This isn’t enough for me, Lori. I want it all.
If it means I get nothing then so be it.”
    How could she
reply to that? Instead, she stared at him, her gaze holding his for several
seconds.
    “But I do
intend, Lorelei, to make you fall head over heels in love with me.”
    “I’m more than
half way there already, you know.” She reached up and stroked his jaw.
    “Halfway will
do. For now.”
    * * *
    The same girl
was at the front desk when Will went down an hour later. She was polishing her
nails and singing a song under her breath and didn’t look up until he cleared
his throat.
    “Oh, hi.” The
girl flashed him a grin.
    “Hi. I was hoping
you could help me out. I need a table for dinner tonight. Do you have something
private, romantic?”
    The girl raised
one eyebrow and Will realized how odd his request sounded. Lori would have been
on her honeymoon had things not gone badly between her and Brian. And here he
was, planning on wining and dining her.
    “Well, maybe. I
can see.”
    Will leaned
toward her, keeping his voice low. “I love her. I’d marry her right this minute
if I thought she’d