Nate walked up behind her and pulled her into his arms. Her light, sweet scent tickled his nose. “I’m sorry I wasn’t nice to your friend,” he whispered into her ear. She hesitated for a just heartbeat then leaned back against him, her hands resting over his crossed arms. He placed a quick kiss on the side of her neck. It felt good to just hold her in his arms again.

But hold her wasn’t all he wanted to do. He placed his hand under her sweatshirt and began inching it up.

“Nate,” she started, grabbing his hand, “before we hit the reset button, I have something I need to tell you.”

Nate groaned and pulled away from her. “Why do I have a feeling it’s nothing good.”

Mia turned to face him, a small smile on her lips. “Actually, I think it’s wonderful.” But the look on her face, the nervous tugging on her sleeve told him otherwise.

Nate braced himself. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

She hesitated, looking up at him with an odd expression on her face. Then she let out a deep sigh and her words spilled out in a long-winded rush.

“Nate, you know I love you, and even though you’ve never repeated the words back, I wouldn’t take them back. I’m actually glad you haven’t because I wouldn’t want you to parrot the words back to me if you’re not ready to say them. But even though I love you and always will, I need to know if you want me enough, if you care for me enough, to want a family.”

The muscles in his chest tightened as agitation and annoyance overwhelmed him. “Not this again,” he muttered sharply. “Why do you have to back me into a corner, huh? I care about you. I want you. Why can’t that be enough for now?”

She shook her head, looking away, her eyes bright but guarded. “Because it can’t,” she whispered.

A long and painful silence stretched between them. He didn’t know about love. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could love anyone. He never said those words to anyone, not even his parents. But he did know that he wanted her, wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything.

Yet what he wanted and what she expected were too far apart for them to find a common ground. And he wasn’t going to make promises he wasn’t prepared to keep.

“So that’s it?” he snapped. “I either marry you, have some kids, or we’re over?”

She stood there with her arms wrapped tightly around her center, saying nothing. Nate cursed.

“If I walk out of here,” he bit out, “I won’t come back.” Yet the thought of being without her, never seeing her again was almost unbearable.

“I won’t expect you to,” she whispered.

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Lena Hart writes sensual romances with a hint of mystery and suspense. Her bestselling debut novel, BECAUSE THIS IS FOREVER, was released October 2013.  To learn more about Lena and her work, visit www.LenaHartSite.com or find her musing out loud at www.scatblogging.blogspot.com.