He drew a deep breath. “I think Kim knew as well as I did, convenience wasn’t love. The end came too civilly and easily.”
Sara nodded slowly. “I’m sorry.”
He met her gaze, looking deep into her eyes. “I’m not.”
Silent understanding passed between them, sexually charged and undeniably hot, and she shifted her gaze over his shoulder, obviously unnerved by the emotional connection she couldn’t deny.
What pleased him frightened her.
While he was being drawn deeper every minute, she was building walls.
Which meant he was at a crucial point. As a negotiator, he knew when to push hard and when to back off no matter what he wanted. And Rafe now knew sex with Sara would never be enough.
If he wanted to break through her defenses, he’d have to step up his game slowly but surely. Not overwhelm her when she was wary and hesitant. And yet he had to face facts. Even if he did everything right, he might not win. So he had to ask himself if, knowing that, he was willing to let down his guard and risk his heart.
“Look!” Sara exclaimed, interrupting his thoughts.
He followed her line of vision to where his brother danced with his wife. Neither spoke; they just danced close and enjoyed each other’s company. “They’re not fighting.”
Rafe grinned. “Now, that’s a miracle.”
“Angel still loves him,” Sara said with a happy sigh.
Rafe inclined his head. “And Nick loves her. I just wish they could get past their differences.”
Sara tipped her head to one side, her long hair brushing her shoulders, reminding him what it felt like to curl his hands around the long strands while he was buried deep inside her body.
“Nick needs to accept who Angel is now,” Sara said, oblivious to Rafe’s thoughts. “He expects her to be the same girl he married, but she’s not. She lost a baby, and that changed her.”
Rafe blinked, surprised at the wealth of information Sara had accumulated. “You got all that out of Angel in the last day and a half?”
Sara shrugged. “What can I say? Angel and I clicked, and she confided in me.”
“I see,” Rafe said, a sense of rightness settling over him.
Sara got along well with his family. Another thing he liked about her.
Rafe glanced at the other couple. “I think Nick needs Angel to open up to him more.”
Sara nodded. “I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” she said, sighing again—and this time it was not a happy one.
“In that case, I hope my brother can change. Nick’s stubborn.”
“If Angel means enough to him, he’ll come around,” Sara said with certainty. “And vise versa.”
Another shock for Rafe. Sara obviously held out hope for his brother and Angel’s future. “Careful, or I might think you’re an optimist,” Rafe teased.
Sara curled her fingers into his shirt and continued dancing, but said nothing in reply.
He let her avoid answering, content with the notion that deep inside Sara there just might be a woman who believed in the commitment she claimed not to want.
“Uncle Rafe!”
At the sound of Toni’s voice, Rafe separated from Sara. “Hey, kiddo! What’s up?”
“Your advice? Not so good.”
“What happened?” Sara asked.
“Uncle Rafe said to pretend I didn’t know how to hit a ball so Pete Goodfriend would notice me.”
Pete Goodfriend? Rafe mouthed the name behind Toni’s back.
Sara shook her head hard.
Rafe cleared his throat.
“Did you do it?”
Toni nodded. “He showed me how to swing. I did. And then I came up to bat.”
“And?”
“I swung with all my might, and I hit it out of the park!”
“So what happened?”
She bowed her head. “Pete was the pitcher.”
Both Rafe and Sara winced.
“She never mentioned that,” he said by way of apology.
Sara laughed. “Toni, listen, I know what it’s like to like someone who doesn’t notice you.”
The young girl looked up at Sara with hopeful, adoring eyes. “So what do I do?”
“Hmm.” What had Sara done when Rafe hadn’t noticed her?
Nothing, because he’d been taken. But what would she have done if he’d been available? “Toni, honey, I think you should be yourself. If you like sports, talk sports to Pete. If you like music, talk about that. Be real. Pay attention to him. If it’s meant to be, he’ll like you back.”
Toni scrunched her nose in an adorable way. Rafe stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Remember what I told you. You’re a great kid, and I bet he already notices you.”
“Your uncle Rafe is right. Maybe he’s shy, or he thinks his friends will laugh at him if he likes a girl. But you have to be stronger. Pay attention to him first and see if it pays off.”
“Cool! You’re really smart about things, Sara.”
She grinned, thrilled with the compliment from the pint-size teenager.
“I’m going to try now. See ya!” Toni ran back into the crowd.
Sara blew out a long breath. “Wow. She’s a handful.”
“You handled her like a pro.” Rafe’s steady gaze was filled with admiration.
She’d seen that look before, in training or when she’d taken down a perp. But she’d never seen him admire her for more personal reasons. The warmth in his gaze gave her goose bumps.
As did watching him interact with his niece. The man was a natural with kids, whether the advice he gave was good…or, as in this case, bad. He’d be the perfect man to have children with.
If she was looking for such a thing. Which she wasn’t. Because they’d never make it together, and then she’d be as hurt as her father was after her mother abandoned them.
She drew in a shaky breath. “Thanks, but it’s easy because Toni’s such a great kid.”
“Sara…” Rafe stretched his hand toward her. He clearly had something to say.
Something she wouldn’t want to hear, because it would mean she’d have to give him up sooner rather than when her time here was over.
“Fire!” someone in the crowd yelled.
The one word caught their attention. She turned toward Main Street and the row of buildings and the booths in front of them. Smoke billowed in the air above.
“Oh, my God!”
Rafe swore, grabbed her hand and they ran to see what was going on.