He nodded. “How’s Parker?” he asked dryly.
“Fine. We went to his brother’s engagement party.” She wanted to explain, but she didn’t owe him an explanation. He owed her one.
“That’s what I figured.” He stepped closer to her and his hand reached out to her and then he stopped and brought it back to his side. “You look tired.”
She shrugged. “I haven’t been sleeping well.”
“Neither have I,” he admitted. He rubbed his hands over his face. “Do you think we could go into your apartment and talk? It feels awkward standing on the street.”
Regan paused. Could she handle having him in her apartment? Just standing on the street with him mellowed her anger and weakened her judgment. She watched a few people pass them, laughing and enjoying a Saturday night in the city. Finally, she gestured toward her door. “Fine, let’s go.”
Neither of them said a word as they walked toward the front door. Once they were inside, the tension and apprehension between them filled the air.
“Can I get a glass of water?” he asked, looking around her disheveled apartment. Papers and books still covered the kitchen counter from her work on the Motion.
She leaned against the counter. “What do you want, Lucas?” she asked, not exactly in the mood for small talk at the moment.
He reached into his front pocket. “I wanted to give you these.”
Regan looked at his open hand, and her stomach dropped to the floor. Her earrings. She thought he wanted to talk or explain, but maybe he wanted to end things in person so nothing happened at work on Monday. She grabbed them out of his hand, hating that one little brush of his skin against hers made her heart come alive. “Thanks for delivering them, but there was no rush. It could have waited until Monday.”
“I know. The cleaning company found them in my bathroom and mailed them to me. They showed up this afternoon.”
She started walking toward the door. “Is that all?”
“No.” He grabbed her elbow. “Are you with Parker now?” His face looked hard and unyielding.
She pulled her arm away from him and put her hands on her hips. What gave him the right to ask about Parker? He showed up at her job with Olivia, holding her hand, after he promised they were exclusive. “I’m not sure it’s any of your business.”
“I’m making it my business.”
She laughed, but it came out cold and hard just as she intended. “I stopped being your business the minute I watched you so prettily holding Olivia’s hand.” She shook her head. “How could you? After everything you promised and everything she did to me?”
His face blanched. “It wasn’t—”
She held up her hand. “You know what? I don’t want to hear your excuses.” She walked to the door and opened it. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Damn it, Regan, let me talk. Give me five minutes to explain and if you’re still done with me, I’ll leave.”
Her eyes narrowed.
He held up his hands. “I promise.”
She looked at her watch. “Fine. Talk. You have five minutes.”
“I realize the dinner with Olivia didn’t look good.”
Regan rolled her eyes and then folded her arms across her chest. “No kidding.”
He rubbed his temples. “I promised to take Olivia out for her birthday weeks ago before anything happened between us.”
“Right and I promised to go to the engagement party with Parker weeks before anything happened, but you told me to cancel and I did.” Regan tapped her finger against her lips. “And I think that is around the same time you told me we were exclusive and you wouldn’t be going out with anyone else either.”
Lucas raked his hands through his hair. “I know and I meant it, but I had to explain that to Olivia in person. If I told her over the phone, I didn’t think she’d get it. I didn’t think I had any alternative.”
Ugh. She felt like pulling her hair out. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“I should have talked to you about it so we could have made the decision together.” He stepped toward her.
Bingo. “That would’ve been a start.”
He grabbed her hand and as much as she knew she should pull away, she couldn’t make her body respond. She liked the feel of his hand holding hers.
“I realize that now, but at the time I thought I was protecting you. I know how much she hurt you before, and I hate that I played a part in it. She won’t be an issue again. I promise.” His thumb started tracing slow circles on her hand.
She swallowed hard. “Don’t hide things from me. It makes it worse. You did it last time we were together and look what happened.”