Belle woke up to banging. Her head throbbed from too many drinks at the bar. The door rattled downstairs. She closed her eyes and tried to shut out the sound, but she wondered if Peter was at the door. She tugged up her covers over her head. They were from two different worlds, and hers didn't include him. Then she sighed, unknotted the sheets, and stood. If Peter was here, she had to see him.

She grabbed a robe and hoped her hair wasn't standing on their roots as she trudged to the door. Then she swung it open and gazed at the perfectly clean, muscular, Peter who smiled at her. His lips could cause a girl to fall into a frenzy, but she crossed her arms. Then he brushed his hand against her cheek.

"I had to see you, Belle."

His gentleness brought tears swelling in her ducts. She sniffled and refused to cry. She swallowed and lifted her chin.

"Nothing hurts me. You didn't have to come."

He whispered so only she could hear him. "Belle, I am sorry."

Embarrassment didn't matter. She stepped away from him and shook her head. "For what? For betting that I'd be your girlfriend? You should be at your mother's side and with your family."

“I should be right here, with you.” He massaged his chin and ignored the silence that surrounded them. "Can I come in?"

She took a deep breath, inhaling his woodsy scent. She pressed her lips together. She'd not be swayed to go back to him. She turned away from him.

"We need to talk. Jennifer was at my place, and she helped me realize something important."

"What did she have to say now?" She had never had a chance with Colt and wouldn't with Peter either. Jennifer had been in his life for too long. "She clearly wanted you."

“Jennifer is not important to me.” He reached out to brush his hands on hers, but she pulled away as he said, "I didn't know anyone like you. Belle, you stole my breath away."

She stiffened. If she relaxed, he could steal her heart and make her forget. It was time to end this one-on-one. She refused to stare into his sexy brown eyes because she knew she'd lose her nerve. "Well, you had your chance to explain everything, but you chose silence. And thank you."

He stepped closer. "For what?"

She glanced up into his eyes, and her arms itched to wrap herself around him. Her lips tingled to kiss him, but she couldn't. She backed away.

"For getting me to believe that I could date and be happy, even if it's with someone else."

"Let me finish?"

"No."

He inched closer and adrenaline rushed through her. She wanted to give herself to him and forget everything else. She picked up an empty glass from the side table near the couch and brought it to the kitchen to get away from him.

He followed her and asked, "Can we just sit and talk? I won't take long."

Hold me and never let me go. She'd never say that. She couldn't. Her life was never going to be here with him. She'd get back to work and tell her heart to stop aching. Love wasn't part of her life. It was better for both of them. He deserved a full life too and that couldn't be her.

"Fine, but then I should ask you to leave. I need to pack."

They returned near the couch. Then he ran his hand down her arm. Every morsel of her skin that he touched grew goose bumps. "Belle, there is something I want to say."

The fluttering in her stomach had to be ignored. She clenched her jaw and tilted her body away from him. "Peter, if it's about us, then it's better we don't say anything else. There is no ‘us.’"

He didn't move. He didn't even blink. He swallowed, though, and then he said, "Belle, I can't do that. The thing is that I love you."

Her knees felt weak. It had to be the exhaustion. She shook her head no. That wasn't possible.

"This is what you discovered with Jennifer? It wasn't that you wanted her in your life."

"Absolutely not." He stood taller but otherwise didn't move. "Belle, I love you more than I love anyone else in the world."

No, no, no. The rest of the world seemed to fade away as she stared at him. She held her body in place despite how she ached to hold him. Then she stepped into the entryway.

"Then you'll want me to be free and happy, so you'll go now."

He placed his hands in his pockets and nodded his head. "If that's what you want."

"For now." She opened the door to the hallway. "It is."

He placed his hands on hers as she held the door.

She couldn't handle this, so she said, "Goodbye."

"I won't shake your hand."

He leaned in as he passed her and gave her cheek a light kiss. Her lips begged for his kiss on her lips, but she couldn't let herself. Tears threatened to fall again.

He then said, "There" as he kissed her cheek.

No words came out of her mouth.

He stepped into the hallway, but as she was closing it, he placed his hand on the door. "If you change your mind, I'll be waiting for you."

There was no way he'd wait for her. That was silly. She shook her head. "It can't work." Then she closed the door in his face.

They were done. She'd be miserable now, but it was the right thing to do.