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“How often did you complain to your family about me?” she asked.

He reared back. “Never. You?”

“Not once.” Mostly because she didn’t communicate well with her parents on any issue.

“Back in school, I kept it all bottled up because I was embarrassed about the losses.” His self-deprecating smile was tangled in the shadows, but she recognized the tone. “Harperwondered why I was so peeved when you took over the Inn. Now she’s looking at the world through rose colored glasses and she’ll interpret any previous friction as interest. She’ll help convince my parents without any prompting on my part.”

“Is there interest?” She clapped her free hand over her mouth, appalled by her audacity. He was doing so much for her already. She didn’t need to force compliments out of him.

He stopped short on the sidewalk. “Yes.” Another man might’ve brought her close for an embrace, but Rhett gave her plenty of space. “Yes, Trina. Then and now, I’ve always struggled to keep my head around you.”

The words spun through her mind, not making any kind of sense. She’d made self-preserving decisions that shut her off from a great deal of intimacy, but she was in the hospitality industry. Though she hadn’t been in relationships herself, she’d witnessed more than her fair share—in nearly every facet of development or destruction.

“You mean that.”

“I do.”

Those two words brought her thoughts to a screeching halt. Tomorrow they’d exchange that vow and it would be binding. For a long time. And now, he was interested and she couldn’t promise that she could give him all the usual benefits of marriage. Maybe this was the worst idea ever—for him. Could she really put him through it?

“Rhett…” She licked her lips, forced her gaze to his eyes.

“No pressure,” he said. “You don’t have to feel the same.”

But didn’t she? She’d always found him attractive. Lately when she was close, the scent of his skin was distracting. Was that the kind of physical interest they might actually build on?

She didn’t know. Frustrated, she almost stamped her foot.

After so long shutting down that side of herself, she wasn’t sure she’d know how to handle a sexual feeling if it did occur.

He was handsome.Hot. All hard-packed muscle from histime at the gym. For the first time, she regretted closing off this piece of herself. “I feel safe with you.” Best not to mention all the warm and glowy details that went along with that declaration. “That’s new for me. And it means so much more than I can say.”

He sighed, the soft exhale caressing her cheek. “You know what I want more than any forced compliments?”

“But…” Any compliments she offered him wouldn’t be forced. Wouldn’t be hospitality 101. Wouldn’t even be rooted in gratitude—only feminine appreciation.

Her gaze fixed on his mouth, she watched his lips part and snap shut. The moment was broken by the sound of windchimes. “My phone,” he explained.

The caller had theworsttiming. She was desperate to know what Rhett wanted from her.

He pulled the device from his pocket and frowned. “It’s Harper.”

She could hardly tell him to ignore his sister. As he answered, he slid his arm around her waist as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Strangely enough it felt natural to her too. She didn’t recoil from his touch the way she had in similar situations for years.

Trina could hear Harper’s voice, but no specific words. And she was doing her best not to eavesdrop, no matter that Rhett kept her close.

“Why is that important?” Rhett’s body went tight as a wire. “Say that again?”

He quickened his pace and she had to rush a little to keep up. What a pleasant surprise to be excited by the way his body brushed against hers with every stride.

“Hold on. I’m not having this conversation in the street.” A pause. “We’re walking back from Mallory Square.” He sent Trina a smile. “Yes. I’ve been showing her around.” Hesighed. “Harper, stop. I will call you back in fifteen minutes.”

“What’s wrong?” Trina asked when he ended the call.

He didn’t spare her a glance, fingers flying over his phone as they hurried along. He finally met her curious gaze as they passed under a street light. “We’re going to keep walking and the car will meet us. We can talk once we have privacy.”

She touched his upper arm. “Please, just tell me she’s okay.”