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“How long were you together?”

He stared at me, nostrils flaring, trying to will me, I thought, to stop asking such personal questions. “Three years.”

I was a bit devastated by that. Three years meant they’d definitely been in love. How much of that was left? I couldn’t imagine it all just going away, especially if she still visited.

Just friends, I told myself. He’d said just friends.

I could be mature about this.

“Can I sleep in your room with you while she’s here?” Okay, maybe I couldn’t.

He gave me a stern look. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Where will she be sleeping?”

He sighed. “A guest room.”

“Where? Close to your room?”

“No. I’ll put her next to you if it makes you feel better.”

He’d read my mind. I wanted to keep track of where she slept while she was here. I wanted to see with my own eyes that she wasn’t sleeping with him.

I had a million other questions, but I didn’t know if I could handle the answers just then so I fell silent.

“Are you okay?” he asked me gently.

I nodded, looking down at my lap. “When do you have to leave to pick her up?”

“Soon. I meant it about you changing out of that. I seriously can’t handle it. And the braids . . . please make this easier for me.”

I looked up hopefully. “We could be quick—”

“No, we couldn’t. If I take you to bed right now I’m not going to be able to stop anytime soon. You’re lucky I even let you sleep last night. Like I said, she’ll only be here for a couple of days. We can last that long.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

“Of course. I was thinking I could start helping you with the office stuff today. Can you point me in a direction to get started?”

He chewed on his lip. “I don’t have time to show you the ropes, and I’ll be gone for several hours.”

“Several hours?” I asked.

He studied me, looking worried. “I’m going to pick her up, and we’re going to lunch, and then we’ll probably walk around on the strip and catch up a bit. Don’t look at me like that, pet. This doesn’t change anything between us, I swear. Hey, stop that.”

I was mortified that tears were rolling down my cheeks, and I waved him off. “It’s fine. I get it. Sorry, I’m just a baby.”

He got up, came over, pulled me up, sat down, and then set me down on his lap.

I buried my face in his chest and cried. “Was that—were we a one-time thing?” I asked, and hated myself for being such a needy child.

His breath was unsteady, and for some reason I found that comforting.

His hand was stroking restlessly over my hair and fingering my braid. “Not by a long shot,” he finally got out. “Please don’t cry. I can’t take tears, and I honestly can’t stand it that I made you cry. I hate myself right now. What do you want me to do? I’ll do anything you say if you’ll stop crying.”

I pushed away and got up, wiping my face. His pity was the last thing I wanted. I couldn’t even look at him. “I’m sorry I’m here and being such a nuisance and getting in the way of your plans. I can go somewhere else for a few days. It’s really not a big deal. I don’t mind.”

He grabbed me roughly, and by the look on his face I thought he wanted to shake me, but he just stared right down to my soul. “Don’t you dare,” he said through his teeth. “Would you like to come with me to pick her up? Would that make you feel better?”

It would, and it made me feel world’s better that he’d offered, but I refused. I knew he didn’t really want me to come.