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“Okay.” I lifted my cup to my lips and took a sip of the sweet nectar.

“Me and Serena were married right out of high school,” he said, not bringing his eyes to mine. “I thought I loved her, I really did. But when I went away, I didn’t know half of the things that went on.”

So that was her name. Serena.

His fingers started drumming on the table, the beat relaxing me slightly. I’d become so used to hearing it that when Ty wasn’t doing it, it felt strange.

“It wasn’t until that day,” he croaked. “That day changed everything. I saw her for what she really was and then I started to find out all the shit that she had been doing while I was away. All the men she was sleeping with.” He looked up, his brown eyes flashing as he said “In my bed.”

“Ty.” I leaned forward, placing my hand on his. “I’m sorry.” I never expected that to come out of his mouth.

He laughed. “The men didn’t bother me, it’s what else she did…” I watched as he swallowed, his Adams apple bobbing up and down. and his chest moving as he took big breath.

“What happened?”

“I can’t…” he said, his voice cracking.

Frowning at him, I gulped down the lump that was forming in my throat. Was this what it felt like when I told him I wasn’t ready to talk about Max? Because right now I hated the feeling that was rolling through me.

“I understand,” I whispered, although what I really wanted to say was ‘tell me’.

“I walked out on her,” he said, his eyes a mixture of anger and sadness. “I asked for a divorce but she wouldn’t sign the papers.”

“So…she’s only your wife legally?”

“Yeah.” He turned his hand so his palm was against mine and squeezed lightly. “She means nothing to me, sweetheart. I swear.”

Nodding, I tried to take it all in. I was a hypocrite. I’d walked off, not allowing him to explain while I still held so many secrets. Secrets and lies that he never pushed to know.

“What about that?” I said, pointing to the lipstick on his shirt.

“What?” Pulling away, he looked down at his collar and rolled his eyes. “She tried to attack me.” My brows flew high on my forehead. “With her lips.”

“And…”

“I pulled away, sweetheart. There’s only one person’s lips that I want to touch.” I squirmed in my seat. His eyes flashed with desire as I moved. Realizing that all I had on was a t-shirt, I tried to pull it down a little.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, bringing his attention back to my face.

“What for?” He frowned.

“I walked away and didn’t give you chance to explain. I know there’s still things that you don’t know about my past and I want to be able to tell you. But…”

I looked around the room, scared to look him in the eyes and find that he wanted me to tell him right then. I still wasn’t ready. I didn’t know whether I ever would be.

“It’s okay.” He pushed up out of his chair and walked toward me. Crouching down so that he was the same level as me, he cupped the side of my face. “When you’re ready, I’m here.”

“I’ll try.” I swallowed. “I’ll try to open up to you.”

“Okay, sweetheart.”

“But, you need to try too.” I raised my brows in challenge. If I was going to open up, then so was he. I wasn’t stupid enough to believe that there wasn’t more to that story. Much more. But I knew that to get him to open up about it, I needed to as well.

It was only fair.

“Okay,” he huffed.

Smiling, I leaned into his hand. I hated not being able to talk to him last night. Knowing that he had sat in that chair all night, probably not getting a wink of sleep, had butterflies swarming in my stomach. He was always watching over me and that in itself, made me feel safer than I ever had.