He talked even faster, hurrying to change her mind. Make her see what their future could be. “Don’t say no till you think about it, Isobel. When you do, you’ll see that I’m right. This is perfect. For all of us.”
“No, Nick,” she said, soothing Jade even as she smiled sadly up at him. “It’s not perfect. I know you love your sons, I do. And I’m glad of that. They’ll need you as much as you need them. But you don’t love me.”
“Isobel…”
“No.” She laughed shortly, looked around the backyard, at the sea, and then finally she turned her gaze on Nick again. “It doesn’t matter if we get along, or if the s*x and chemistry between us is great. I can’t marry a man who doesn’t love me.”
Damn it. She was shutting him down, and he couldn’t even find it in himself to blame her. Panic warred with desper
