Four of Hearts by Roz Lee Page B

as close to the surf line as he dared. With his arms wrapped around his upturned knees, he couldn’t have been more closed off if he’d tried.
    Candace dropped down beside him and offered him one of the wine glasses. He took it without relaxing his pose, or looking in her direction. She filled the glasses and twisted the bottom of the bottle into the sand beside her. “Are we going to talk about it? Or are you going to brood about it for the rest of our lives?”
    “There’s nothing to talk about.”
    “Are you mad at me?”
    “No, I’m not mad at you.”
    “Then who are you mad at? Richard?”
    Ryan drained his glass in one long gulp and tossed it toward the surf. It landed in the foam of the outgoing tide, swirled a time or two, and filled with sand before coming to a stop. “It’s wrong, Candace.”
    “Do you want to explain that to me?”
    “I shouldn’t have to explain it. We’re married. Fallon and Richard are our best friends. They’re married. Richard is my business partner. Or, he was. Who knows now?”
    “Do you love me?”
    She’d finally found something that got his attention. He dropped his legs and turned to her. His eyes blazed with desire, and beneath that, Candace saw the simmer of his ever-present love. “You know I do. I’ll do anything for you. Anything. I let Richard restrain you. I let him touch you. I even—.”
    “You let me give him a blowjob? Is that what you were going to say?” He turned back to the surf and his rejection cut her to the core. “You let Fallon do the same for you. How is that any different?”
    “It’s not. I’m sorry, Candace.” He deflated like a popped balloon. His head dropped to his knees and Candace had to lean in closer to hear his next words. “I don’t know what to do about any of this. Richard will probably kill me the next time he sees me, and I won’t blame him a bit. I deserve it.”
    She let her fingers rest on his arm, hoping the physical contact would convey her feelings. “He isn’t going to kill you. Richard loves you like a brother.”
    “Christ,” Ryan jerked his head up. “You don’t think I know that? He’s as much my brother as Sean. Hell, I’ve spent more time with Richard than I have with Sean. Brothers or not, I touched his wife! For Christ’s sake, Candace, I wanted to do a whole hell of a lot more to Fallon too. I betrayed Richard’s friendship, and I betrayed everything I promised you on our wedding day.”
    She couldn’t help it, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. “No. No. Don’t ever think that! I know how much you love me. I know you wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt me, and loving Fallon doesn’t hurt me. I’d be more hurt to think your feelings for her were so shallow.”
    “What the hell are you talking about? My feelings are shallow. I don’t love Fallon. It’s lust. That’s all it is.”
    “If that was true, then why didn’t you act on it earlier? You’ve known her longer than Richard has.”
    “I don’t know. She wasn’t interested in me, and she isn’t now either.” He flopped on his back and covered his eyes with one arm. “This is so fucked up, Candace.”
    Candace took advantage of his new position, climbing on top of him and stretching out so their bodies met from their toes to their chests. She nuzzled his neck, running her tongue along the pulse there. “You’re salty. You went for a swim, didn’t you?”
    He mumbled something she took for an affirmative, and she continued to taste as much of him as she could reach. “I think, once you get used to it, you’ll see this is all very simple.”
    “I can’t believe this. I just told you I lusted after your best friend, and you think this is simple?”
    “It is.” She bit his shoulder, not hard, just enough to get his attention. “It isn’t just lust, but you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.” She kissed the spot she’d just bitten. Ryan shuddered beneath her. “Did she give you a good