“Riley,” he said, sliding the ring on her finger, “be my wife.”

Her hand shook. “I can’t,” she whispered.

“Shh.” He put a finger to her lips. “You don’t have to answer yet. You’re confused. I understand that. You don’t have to say yes yet, but don’t throw this away by saying no.”

She wriggled the ring off her finger and offered it to Chaz. “This ring is a promise,” she said.

“It’s my promise to you.” He closed her fingers around the hard rock and platinum band. “I might not be as exciting as a world-traveling poker player, but I can give you a good life.”

“Wearing it is a promise too, and I can’t promise you anything in return,” she said softly. “Not right now.” The words hurt. They tore at the heart of the little girl inside her—the little girl who’d lost her only family at twelve and had to move in with a man she didn’t know, the little girl who wanted only to be loved unconditionally and have the stable family she’d only dreamed of.

“He might be exciting, but you know what I am? I’m patient, Riley. I’m willing to wait for what I want.”

Chapter Nine

No matter how hard Charlie went at the bag in Grand Escape’s state of the art fitness center, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d just been royally screwed.

Why had she invited him there? Had she known Chaz would be proposing? Had she wanted him to see? When she’d looked at him over Chaz’s shoulders, there had been something in her eyes that had made him draw up short. She’d had the look of a deer in the headlights—frozen, unsure whether to run or fight, and doing neither.

He punched the bag harder, sweat dripping down his forehead and off his chin, but it didn’t change the fact that Riley hadn’t told Chaz no.

“Need someone to hold that for you?”

Charlie glanced over his shoulder to see a kid in basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Dark, long, and lanky, he reminded Charlie a lot of himself as a teen. Charlie rolled his shoulders back. If he weren’t already wiped, he’d have refused the kid. He’d have to pull his punches so the teen could keep hold of the bag. “Sure.”

The kid exuded confidence as he stepped behind the bag. The way Charlie had been whaling on the thing, it’d be smart to show a little caution. “What’s got you so pissed off?”

“What?” Charlie wiped his brow and realized his knuckles were sore. He’d been going at the bag bare-fisted because it was more satisfying, but he’d pay for it later. “Why do you think I’m pissed? Maybe I’m just working out.”

The kid arched a brow. “I’ve seen guys hit the bag before. Sometimes it’s just a bag, and sometimes the guy wishes it was someone’s face. Pretty easy to tell which is which.”

Charlie threw a test punch at the bag and nodded in approval as the kid held it steady. Jab, cross, jab, jab! “You’re perceptive,” he said, stepping back. Jab, cross, kick, jab! “And pretty strong for a kid.”

“I’m sixteen,” the kid said.

Charlie raised a brow. Jab, cross, uppercut.

“It seems young to you now, but you didn’t think of yourself as a kid when you were my age. You were only a year older than me when you ran off to LA.”

Charlie stepped back and rubbed his knuckles. “What do you know about me?” He stepped around the bag and nodded for the kid to take a turn. Charlie held the bag while the kid threw steady and intentional punches.

“You’re Charlie Singleton,” the kid said after a round. “‘The Devil,’ right? I know a lot about you just from watching ESPN2.”

Charlie frowned. The Devil. He hated that damn nickname. “Well, don’t believe everything you see on TV.”

“I heard you’re being sued for child support.”

Charlie shoved the bag and stepped back. “What’s it to you?”

The kid lifted a shoulder. “Do you think he’s yours?”

“Anything is possible.” Charlie took a second look at the kid. Sixteen. Dark hair. Tall, athletic. Cocky.

“You even want anything to do with him if he is?”

Charlie crossed his arms. “What’d you say your name was?”

The kid blinked and looked to the ceiling for a split second. “Derrick.”

“Derrick, it’s complicated. No one ever told me I had a kid, and I’m not exactly role model material.”

“Derrick” took position behind the bag and nodded for Charlie to take a turn. “So that gets you out of it? Not your fault, so you can just walk away?”

Charlie worked the bag for a few before answering. “I didn’t say I was going to walk away.” He lifted his eyes to meet the kid’s. Blue, just like Charlie’s. Go figure. “Sticking around might not be the best thing for this kid. I have to consider that.”

The kid shrugged as if Charlie’s answer meant nothing to him. “That’s cool.” He looked at his watch. “Hey, I’ve gotta bounce.”

Charlie nodded, something painful balling in his throat. “Thanks for the company.”

The kid grinned. “It’s a woman, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“The reason you were so pissed. Only a woman can rile a guy up like that and make him choose to hit a bag instead of someone’s face.”

Laughter slipped from Charlie’s lips and he found himself grinning.

“Just don’t be like those idiots in the movies and let everything fall apart because you’re too afraid to tell her the truth about how you feel.”

Charlie raised a brow. “A sage at sixteen?”

The kid lifted his palms in a what-can-you-do gesture. “Women are my specialty,” he said before turning to the door.

“Hey, kid!” Charlie called after him. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. “I’ll be here tomorrow, same time.” He wasn’t sure why he said it, but the words were out of his mouth before he could analyze his reasons.

The kid nodded slowly. “Yeah. That could be all right.”

***

“I have never seen my brother look at a woman like that.” Lacey stared at the paper, eyes wide. Riley plopped down on the couch next to her and Lace reiterated, “Ever.”

“Lace—”

“It’s not like he’s never been in a relationship,

but—”

“Lacey!”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. It’s cute.”

“Chaz took me to lunch at The Orteja today.”

“Yikes, was he mad? Shit. What’d you tell him? That kiss—” she dropped her eyes to the paper “—shit, he’s gotta be upset. I’ve never seen him kiss you like that, and I’m not even sure he’s—”

“Lace, he proposed.”

“—capable.” She stopped. “Oh.”

Riley let out a breath. “Right. Exactly.”

“So.” Lacey chewed her bottom lip.

“So?” Riley winced. “A girl’s best friend should be happy when her boyfriend proposes.”

Lacey nodded. “Right! Oh, yeah. Of course.” She leaned forward and gave Riley a light hug.

Riley pulled back. “You don’t have to fake it, Lacey.”

The strained smile dropped off Lacey’s face. “I don’t?”

“I didn’t say yes.”

Lacey’s blue eyes lit up. “You said no?”

“Not exactly.”

She frowned. “What does that mean? And does Charlie know?”

“It means that I wasn’t ready to say yes, but I wasn’t ready to give up on our relationship either. And, yes, Charlie knows. He happened to be at The Orteja when Chaz dropped to a knee.”

“Ouch.”

Riley closed her eyes. She couldn’t tell Lacey the truth—that she was grateful for Charlie’s presence. The man she wanted had watched as the man she was supposed to want offered her a ring. His presence reminded her not to settle.

“Listen, our lease is up in a couple months, and I know I’d kind of indicated that I’d like to get my own place.”

Lacey nodded. “I understand, Ry. We can’t live like we’re in college forever. Plus, when you get the GM position, you’ll be raking in the cash. You won’t need to live here.”

Riley wrung her hands. “My father gave that position to someone else.”

Lacey gaped. “He didn’t!”

“I’m sorry to say it’s true.”

“Well, that’s his loss, Riley, because you would have made the best GM Grand Escape had ever seen.”

Riley looked into her friend’s eyes. She was so grateful to have Lacey. “I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s really irrelevant. My father doesn’t want me in management. He wants me married and out of the corporate world.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I can’t believe I never saw it before, but he could have had me working any number of places in that hotel that would have better prepared me for the job. Instead, he kept me by his side working as a glorified secretary. I thought it was so he could show me the ropes, but he really just wanted to keep an eye on me.”

Lacey didn’t reply.

Riley had to close her eyes. At twenty-six years old, she should have started making her own decisions a long time ago rather than allowing her father to make them for her. “You knew, though, didn’t you?”

When she opened her eyes again, Lacey was biting her lip.

Riley shook her head. “It’s okay. I can see it now.” She could also see that her father was trying to transfer the reins of her life to Chaz.

“I’m sorry, Riley,” Lacey whispered.

Riley shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”

“How could he—”

She held up her hands before her friend began a speech in her defense. “That doesn’t matter now. I’m done being controlled. I have some money saved up, and—if you’ll still be my roommate—I can start looking for a new job where I’m just me, not somebody’s daughter.”

“What about dance?” Lacey asked softly.

Riley reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. “It’s sweet of you to suggest it, but I don’t think I have what it takes to make it in that world.” Riley wrapped her arms around her friend. “Thanks. For everything.” On the table, her phone buzzed.

Lacey sniffed. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

“So you’ll put up with me for another year?” Riley asked.

Lacey laughed. “As long as you want. Now I’ll leave you alone. I think someone’s trying to get a hold of you.”

Riley snatched her phone from the table. She had a message from Chaz. She frowned. She knew she was asking a lot after he put himself out there today, but she needed some space before she could make a decision.

She opened the message: Tell me the truth. What did last night mean to you?

***

Charlie didn’t know what the hell he was doing. He didn’t have anything to offer Riley. He’d show her respect and affection, sure, but for what? A week before he left town again? On the other hand, any internal conflict he had about talking Riley out of marrying Chaz was laid to rest when he remembered the way Chaz had acted at the Black Diamond yesterday.

Charlie might not know much about love and lasting relationships, but he knew that if Riley was going to have one, she deserved someone a hell of a lot better than that.

His phone beeped and he found himself half-surprised she’d responded. Newly engaged, she wouldn’t have been wrong to ignore him. Which part?

He winced. He wanted to believe the whole night had meant something to her, but maybe for Riley their messages had been nothing but cheap, modern day phone sex. If their erotic texts had meant nothing, he didn’t want to know it. Start with dinner.

It was supposed to be innocent. But then it became something more. That’s why I can’t wear that ring.

Charlie straightened. Holy shit. She wasn’t wearing the ring. Had she refused Chaz? And had she done it for Charlie?

He should call her. This conversation was too important to have over text messages. No, even the phone wasn’t good enough.

I think we should talk.

I just need time. I’m not ready to make a decision yet.

Charlie closed his eyes. There was a God. Good. You should take your time. The man who marries you is the luckiest guy on earth. You should make sure he’s worthy.

Your texts are so sweet and…sexy. This decision would be easier if I believed we could be like this face to face.

Come over and let me prove we can. He was sure there was a special place in hell for men preparing to seduce another man’s almost-fiancé, but Charlie would happily burn there to spend a night proving to Riley that she deserved better than Chaz.

I’m just confused right now, her next message said, and Charlie figured that made two of them. The message after that knocked him on his ass.

I love you.

Chapter Ten

Riley took a fortifying breath when she reached Chaz’s condo. He’d never responded to her last text.

I love you.

She wasn’t even sure if she meant the words anymore, but saying them—typing them—had been a testament to her decision to give their relationship a chance until she could make a decision about his proposal. Why did he seem like a completely different person when they exchanged text messages? And why couldn’t he be more of that person when they were together?